Fall Final Exam - Minerals

Front

What is Halite?

Back

Halite is a colorless, glassy mineral with cubic cleavage (3 at 90 degrees) and a distinct salty taste.

Front

What is Calcite?

Back

Calcite is a mineral with 3 cleavages not at 90 degrees (rhombohedral), a hardness of 3.5, and it fizzes with acid.

Front

What is the difference between lava and magma?

Back

Lava is molten rock that reaches the Earth's surface, while magma is molten rock that is still beneath the surface.

Front

What is the significance of crystal size in minerals?

Back

The size of crystals in minerals can indicate the cooling rate; larger crystals typically form from slower cooling.

Front

What is Copper?

Back

Copper is a metallic, dense mineral that is copper-colored and tarnishes green.

Front

What is Pyrite?

Back

Pyrite is a mineral with a hardness of 6.5, brassy gold color, cubic crystals, and it does not tarnish.

Front

What is the definition of mineral cleavage?

Back

Mineral cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat planes of weakness.

Front

What is crystallization in geology?

Back

Crystallization is the process by which minerals form from cooling molten materials.

Front

What is the Mohs scale of hardness?

Back

The Mohs scale of hardness is a scale that ranks minerals based on their ability to scratch one another, from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).

Front

What is the difference between metallic and non-metallic minerals?

Back

Metallic minerals have a shiny appearance and conduct electricity, while non-metallic minerals do not have a metallic luster and are insulators.