Minerals and Rocks Quiz

What is the definition of a mineral?

• A man-made synthetic solid with an ordered crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition

• A naturally occurring inorganic solid with an ordered crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition

• A man-made synthetic solid with a definite chemical composition

• A naturally occurring organic solid with a definite chemical composition

Which of the following is NOT a true mineral?

• Diamond

• Coal

• Quartz

• Glass

Which is the most definite way to identify a mineral, but used the least by everyday people?

• By their appearance and physical characteristics

• By their chemical composition

• By their hardness and luster

• By their color and shape

What is the most abundant and important group of minerals on Earth?

• Silicates

• Carbonates

• Oxides

• Halides

What is the charge of the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron?

• Minus one

• Minus two

• Minus three

• Minus four

Which group of minerals cleave into sheets?

• Mica

• Amphibole

• Feldspars

• Quartz

Which group of minerals is an excellent insulator but also causes lung cancer?

• Olivine

• Zircon

• Garnet

• Asbestos

Which group of minerals is a major constituent of the continental crust?

• Amphibole

• Mica

• Quartz

• Feldspars

What are the three types of rocks?

• Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic

• Silicates, carbonates, halides

• Mafic, felsic, non-silicates

• Olivine, pyroxene, amphibole

Which type of rock is formed by cooling magma?

• Metamorphic

• Sedimentary

• Silicate

• Igneous