Font size
WorksheetsGeology Chapter 3 - Minerals
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 20mins
What is the classic geological definition of a mineral?
Naturally occurring, inorganic, solid at room temperature, regular crystal structure, defined chemical composition
Naturally occurring, organic, solid at room temperature, regular crystal structure, defined chemical composition
Naturally occurring, organic, liquid at room temperature, irregular crystal structure, defined chemical composition
Artificially created, inorganic, liquid at room temperature, irregular crystal structure, undefined chemical composition
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a mineral's crystalline structure?
Atoms are arranged in an orderly, repetitive manner
Minerals have a definite chemical composition
Atoms are arranged in random order
Minerals are generally inorganic and not made from life
What does a +2 charge on a magnesium ion indicate?
It has lost two protons
It has gained two electrons
It has two more neutrons than electrons
It has lost two electrons
What type of bonding occurs when a positively-charged sodium ion bonds with a negatively-charged chlorine ion?
Covalent bonding
Van der Waals bonding
Ionic bonding
Metallic bonding
If magnesium has an atomic number of 12 and an atomic mass of 25, it has (a) neutrons.
Which of the following is NOT considered a mineral?
A lab-grown diamond
Volcanic glass
A piece of coal
A fossilized tooth
Which process does NOT increase mineral precipitation?
Changing pressure
Evaporating water
Cooling a fluid
Heating a fluid
What does the formula (Fe, Mg)SiO4 for olivine indicate?
The mineral contains Fe or Mg, but not both
The amounts of Fe and Mg in the mineral are equal
The mineral took Fe and Mg from the magma as it formed
The mineral loses Fe and gains Mg over time
The most common mineral created by living organisms is (a) .
When a mineral precipitates from solution, it:
Shrinks in size
Likely will seep into the ground
Forms a crystal
Eventually evaporates
Why are mica minerals described as 'like a sandwich'?
Because layers of weak bonds cause the platy mineral to easily cleave into sheets
Because they have many strong atomic bonds similar to bread
Because they are found in the structures of wheat
Because there are so many different ways they stack on each other
Which of the following is NOT a way that silicon tetrahedra may be arranged in silicate minerals?
Isolated tetrahedra
Double chain tetrahedra
Sheets of tetrahedra
Triple chain tetrahedra
What atoms are in a silicon tetrahedron, the basic unit of silicate minerals?
4 oxygens and 4 silicons
1 oxygen and 4 silicons
2 oxygen and 2 silicon
4 oxygens and 1 silicon
Which mineral group contains the most important ore minerals of copper, lead, and zinc?
Native elements
Sulfates
Oxides
Sulfides
What is the most common origin of carbonate minerals in nature?
By evaporation
Made by marine life
By precipitation of minerals from petroleum deposits
During cooling of a magma
Gangue minerals (a)
The mineral name for salt is (a)
What is the primary difference between a rock and a mineral?
A rock is a naturally occurring solid, while a mineral is man-made
A mineral is a naturally occurring solid with a definite chemical composition, while a rock is an aggregate of one or more minerals
A rock is a liquid at room temperature, while a mineral is always solid
Rocks are always organic, while minerals are inorganic
Which of the following is a common method for identifying minerals?
Measuring the mineral's temperature
Observing the mineral's color and streak
Listening to the sound the mineral makes when struck
Smelling the mineral's scent
What is the Mohs scale used for?
Measuring the density of a mineral
Determining the color of a mineral
Assessing the hardness of a mineral
Calculating the weight of a mineral
