Minerals

Steven Dutch, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
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  1. The two most abundant elements in the Earth's crust are:
    1. iron and magnesium
    2. silicon and oxygen
    3. carbon and potassium
    4. sand and clay
    5. sodium and nitrogen
  2. The sharing of electrons by adjacent atoms is a type of bonding called:
    1. van der Walls
    2. tetrahedral
    3. covalent
    4. ionic
    5. silicate
  3. A chemical element is a substance made up of atoms, all of which have the same:
    1. atomic mass number
    2. size
    3. number of neutrons
    4. weight
    5. number of protons
  4. An example of a common nonferromagnesian silicate mineral is:
    1. calcite
    2. hematite
    3. quartz
    4. halite
    5. biotite
  5. Density of a mineral relates to
    1. The types of atoms in the material
    2. How the atoms are arranged in the material
    3. Both a. and b.
    4. None of these
  6. The ratio of a mineral's weight to the weight of an equal volume of water is its:
    1. specific gravity
    2. atomic mass numbers
    3. luster
    4. cleavage
    5. hardness
  7. Those chemical elements having eight electrons in their outermost electron shell are the:
    1. noble gases
    2. halides
    3. native elements
    4. isotopes
    5. carbonates
  8. The atomic number of an element is determined by the:
    1. number of electrons in its outermost shell
    2. number of protons in its nucleus
    3. diameter of its most common isotope
    4. number of neutrons plus electrons in its nucleus
    5. total number of neutrons orbiting the nucleus
  9. To which of the following groups do most minerals in the Earth's crust belong?
    1. oxides
    2. halides
    3. carbonates
    4. silicates
    5. sulfates
  10. When an atom loses or gains electrons, it becomes a(n):
    1. isotope
    2. neutron
    3. proton
    4. native element
    5. ion
  11. Which of these fundamental forces is not involved in the structure of the atom?
    1. gravity
    2. electromagnetism
    3. strong nuclear force
  12. These minerals tend to have good cleavage
    1. silicates
    2. sulfides
    3. oxides
    4. carbonates
  13. Why density, hardness and luster are more reliable clues to mineral identity than color:
    1. They're not. Color is equally reliable
    2. Color is actually the most reliable clue
    3. Density, hardness and luster are easier to define
    4. Density, hardness and luster relate most directly to the atomic makeup of the mineral.
  14. Anions are ____________ charged because they have _________ electrons:
    1. negatively ... lost
    2. positively .... lost
    3. positively ... gained
    4. negatively .... gained
    5. neutrally ... neither lost nor gained
  15. After silicates, the most important rock-forming minerals:
    1. oxides
    2. sulfates
    3. halides
    4. carbonates
  16. Lacks good cleavage:
    1. mica
    2. quartz
    3. calcite
    4. halite
  17. Density of minerals refers to:
    1. weight per unit volume
    2. weight relative to water
    3. both a and b
    4. neither a nor b
  18. The single most abundant mineral on earth:
    1. hematite
    2. calcite
    3. gypsum
    4. amphibole
    5. quartz
  19. This gem mineral is an oxide of aluminum:
    1. topaz
    2. diamond
    3. zircon
    4. sapphire
  20. Which is a phyllosilicate?
    1. garnet
    2. clay minerals
    3. amphibole
    4. pyroxene
  21. Calcite will scratch glass. True or false?
    1. True
    2. False
  22. Most gem minerals (except diamond) belong to the following groups:
    1. silicates and oxides
    2. sulfates and elements
    3. elements and oxides
    4. sulfates and carbonates
    5. sulfides and oxides
  23. Bonding in minerals is mostly:
    1. ionic
    2. metallic
    3. covalent
    4. equal mixture of these
  24. The two most abundant elements in the Earth's crust are:
    1. nickel and zinc
    2. nitrogen and carbon
    3. oxygen and silicon
    4. chlorine and iron
  25. The charged atoms that make up most crystal structures:
    1. protons
    2. tetrahedra
    3. catalysts
    4. ions
  26. Pyrite is:
    1. a silicate
    2. an important iron ore
    3. water-soluble
    4. none of the above
  27. Minerals are classified on the basis of:
    1. their negatively charged atoms (anions)
    2. their positively charged atoms (cations)
    3. their oxygen content
    4. their metal content
  28. Feldspars:
    1. are framework silicates
    2. are the most abundant minerals as a group
    3. are the main repositories for aluminum, sodium, potassium, and calcium in igneous rocks
    4. all of the above
  29. ____________________ are examples of sheet silicates:
    1. micas and clay minerals
    2. pyroxenes and amphiboles
    3. olivine and feldspar
    4. staurolite and quartz
  30. The tendency of some minerals to break along smooth planes
    1. crystallization
    2. fracture
    3. weathering
    4. cleavage
  31. The most common single mineral on Earth is:
    1. chromium
    2. copper
    3. halite
    4. quartz
  32. "All minerals are crystalline: means:
    1. all minerals are always found as crystals
    2. all minerals have cleavage
    3. all minerals have an orderly internal atomic structure
    4. all minerals are insoluble in water
  33. These minerals are often water-soluble
    1. silicates
    2. sulfides
    3. oxides
    4. halides
  34. Cations are ____________ charged because they have _________ electrons:
    1. negatively ... lost
    2. positively .... lost
    3. positively ... gained
    4. negatively .... gained
    5. neutrally ... neither lost nor gained
  35. This gem mineral is an oxide of aluminum:
    1. topaz
    2. diamond
    3. zircon
    4. ruby
  36. This mineral is the same as ordinary rust and is the principal ore of iron:
    1. sphalerite
    2. quartz
    3. hematite
    4. bauxite
    5. gypsum
  37. These minerals are among the leading contributors to acid rain:
    1. sulfates
    2. sulfides
    3. silicates
    4. nitrates
  38. Why is pyrite not the major ore of iron?
    1. It is too hard to mine
    2. It contributes too much to acid rain
    3. There are other ores that are better sources of iron
    4. It is mixed with too many other minerals
  39. The property that causes salt to come out of the salt shaker as tiny cubes:
    1. density or specific gravity
    2. crystal form
    3. fracture
    4. hardness
    5. cleavage
  40. Which is not a phyllosilicate?
    1. mica
    2. clay minerals
    3. serpentine asbestos
    4. pyroxene
  41. You can identify diamonds by seeing if they scratch glass. True or false?
    1. True
    2. False
  42. Most ore minerals belong to the following groups:
    1. silicates and carbonates
    2. sulfates and elements
    3. elements and oxides
    4. sulfates and carbonates
    5. sulfides and oxides
  43. Minerals are solids possessing an orderly internal arrangement of atoms, meaning that they are:
    1. amorphous substances
    2. crystalline
    3. composed of at least three different elements
    4. composed of a single element
    5. ionic compounds
  44. The silicon atom has a positive charge of 4, and oxygen has a negative charge of 2. Accordingly, the ion group (SiO4) has a:
    1. positive charge of 2
    2. positive charge of 4
    3. negative charge of 2
    4. negative charge of 4
    5. negative charge of 1
  45. Calcite and dolomite are:
    1. oxide minerals of great value
    2. ferromagnesian silicates possessing a sheet structure
    3. carbonate minerals
    4. sulfates found in evaporite deposits
  46. Many minerals break along closely spaced planes and are said to possess:
    1. specific gravity
    2. fracture
    3. cleavage
    4. double
    5. covalent bonds
  47. The chemical formula for olivine is (Mg,Fe)2SiO4, which means that in addition to silica:
    1. magnesium and iron can substitute for one another
    2. magnesium is more common than iron
    3. magnesium is heavier than iron
    4. all olivine contains both magnesium and iron
    5. more magnesium than iron occurs in the Earth's crust
  48. The basic building block of all silicate minerals is the:
    1. silicon sheet
    2. silicate double chain
    3. oxygen-silicon cube
    4. silica framework
    5. silica tetrahedron
  49. This mineral suite includes many major ores:
    1. halides
    2. sulfides
    3. sulfates
    4. carbonates
  50. The strong nuclear force
    1. holds the nucleus together
    2. attracts electrons to the nucleus
    3. keeps the electrons organized into shells
  51. A mineral suite that contains radicals
    1. oxides
    2. sulfides
    3. halides
    4. sulfates
  52. Which property is most directly related to the closeness of atoms in a mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  53. Which property is related to planes of weakness between atoms in a mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  54. Which property is related to the strength of bonding between atoms in a mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  55. Which property is least reliable in identifying minerals?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. color
  56. Which property is least likely to be affected by weathering of the mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. color
    4. fracture
  57. Which of these factors can affect the color of a mineral?
    1. weathering
    2. surface coatings
    3. grain size
    4. chemical impurities
    5. All of these can affect the color of minerals.
  58. Hardness refers to:
    1. resistance to chemical alteration.
    2. difficulty in breaking.
    3. roughness.
    4. resistance to scratching.
  59. The property that causes salt to come out of a salt shaker as tiny cubes:
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  60. The property that causes quartz to break along smoothly curving surfaces:
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  61. The property that makes gold panning possible:
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  62. The single most important group of minerals in abundance:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  63. Limestone and dolomite are made from these minerals:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  64. Tend to be dense, metallic in luster, and often have cubic crystals:
    1. sulfides
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  65. Have good cleavage and fizz in acid:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  66. Light in color and weight, good cleavage, often water-soluble:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. halides
  67. A hard mineral is most likely to be one of these:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. halides
    4. sulfates
  68. Gold, diamonds and graphite are examples::
    1. native elements
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  69. Quartz is one of these:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  70. Mica is an example:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  71. Amphibole and Pyroxene are examples:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  72. Most likely to split into thin sheets:
    1. mica
    2. halite
    3. calcite
    4. quartz
  73. Most likely to split into splintery fragments:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  74. Chain silicates include:
    1. clays and micas
    2. amphiboles and pyroxenes
    3. feldspars
    4. olivine and garnet
  75. Which has the lowest hardness?:
    1. feldspar
    2. calcite
    3. topaz
    4. gypsum
  76. Olivine is an example:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  77. Quartz:
    1. can scratch glass.
    2. has good cleavage
    3. has density of 5 grams per cubic centimeter
    4. dissolves in acid
  78. Calcite:
    1. can scratch glass.
    2. has good cleavage
    3. has density of 5 grams per cubic centimeter
    4. dissolves in acid
  79. Which is likely to have the highest density?
    1. halide
    2. sulfate
    3. sulfide
    4. carbonate
  80. Has silica tetrahedra arranged in three-dimensional networks:
    1. mica
    2. olivine
    3. halite
    4. feldspar
  81. Has silica tetrahedra not connected to each other:
    1. quartz
    2. mica
    3. olivine
    4. feldspar
  82. Which property is not desirable in a gemstone?
    1. hardness
    2. beauty
    3. rarity
    4. good cleavage
    5. ability to refract light
  83. Which property does a gem cutter consider in deciding how to cut a stone?
    1. optical properties of the stone
    2. its cleavage
    3. flaws in the stone
    4. the size of stones that can be cut from it
    5. all of the above
  84. Which is true of synthetic gemstones
    1. They have the same composition as their natural counterparts.
    2. They have fewer flaws than natural gems.
    3. They are not as valuable as natural gems.
    4. All of the above.
  85. Atoms of this element occupy more space in the crust than all other atoms combined:
    1. oxygen
    2. chlorine
    3. sulfur
    4. silicon
  86. This kind of atomic bonding holds wood, plastic, and people together:
    1. covalent
    2. metallic
    3. ionic
    4. organic
  87. This kind of atomic bonding holds steel girders and jet airplanes together:
    1. covalent
    2. metallic
    3. ionic
    4. organic
  88. This kind of atomic bonding holds most minerals together:
    1. covalent
    2. metallic
    3. ionic
    4. organic
  89. Which is not a type of atomic bonding?
    1. covalent
    2. metallic
    3. ionic
    4. organic
  90. The most abundant negatively-charged ion in the earth's crust:
    1. oxygen
    2. silicon
    3. sulfur
    4. iron
  91. The most abundant positively-charged ion in the earth's crust:
    1. oxygen
    2. silicon
    3. sulfur
    4. iron
  92. The atomic number of an element is determined by its:
    1. number of protons.
    2. number of neutrons.
    3. total of protons plus neutrons.
    4. number of electrons.
  93. The atomic weight of an element is determined by its:
    1. number of protons.
    2. number of neutrons.
    3. total of protons plus neutrons.
    4. number of electrons.
  94. This changes easily in response to chemical reactions:
    1. number of protons
    2. number of neutrons
    3. total of protons plus neutrons
    4. number of electrons
  95. Isotopes of an element differ in their:
    1. number of protons.
    2. number of neutrons.
    3. total of protons plus neutrons.
    4. number of electrons.
  96. After oxygen, the most abundant negatively-charged ion in the earth's crust:
    1. chlorine
    2. silicon
    3. sulfur
    4. iron
  97. Which is true of crystal form and cleavage?
    1. Every cleavage face is a possible crystal face.
    2. Every crystal face is a cleavage face.
    3. Every crystal possesses cleavage.
    4. Only minerals that occur as good crystals have cleavage.
  98. Saying that minerals have "crystalline structure" means:
    1. they all occur as crystals
    2. they all have an orderly internal arrangement of atoms
    3. they all have good cleavage
    4. they all have ions
  99. The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in its atoms
    1. True
    2. False
  100. After silicon, aluminum is the next most abundant element in the crust
    1. True
    2. False
  101. Metals like zinc, copper and lead are among the most abundant elements
    1. True
    2. False
  102. Amphiboles are sheet silicates
    1. True
    2. False
  103. Carbonate minerals tend to have good cleavage
    1. True
    2. False
  104. Carbonate minerals are one example of a mineral suite that contains radicals
    1. True
    2. False
  105. Hardness is the resistance of a material to breaking
    1. True
    2. False
  106. Density reflects the weight and closeness of packing of atoms in a mineral
    1. True
    2. False
  107. Most minerals can be identified by their color
    1. True
    2. False
  108. Micas are good examples of sheet silicates
    1. True
    2. False
  109. Mica, halite and calcite all have good cleavage
    1. True
    2. False
  110. Luster refers to the way a material reflects light
    1. True
    2. False
  111. The most abundant minerals, quartz and the feldspars, are framework silicates
    1. True
    2. False
  112. Elements never occur in nature in the uncombined state
    1. True
    2. False
  113. Neighboring silica tetrahedra link by sharing two oxygen atoms along adjacent edges
    1. True
    2. False
  114. In the sulfate radical, the sulfur atom has a charge of +6, and each of the four oxygen atoms has a charge of -2. Thus the net charge on a sulfate radical is -2
    1. True
    2. False
  115. Only materials with well-formed crystals are crystalline
    1. True
    2. False
  116. The shape of crystals is a clue to the shape of their unit cells
    1. True
    2. False
  117. The tendency of calcite to break along flat planes is an example of fracture
    1. True
    2. False
  118. All solid materials possess fracture of some kind
    1. True
    2. False
  119. The intervals on the Mohs hardness scale represent equal differences in hardness
    1. True
    2. False
  120. A silica tetrahedron contains one silicon and four oxygen atoms
    1. True
    2. False
  121. Silica tetrahedra link by sharing silicon atoms
    1. True
    2. False
  122. The identity of a chemical element is dictated by the number of electrons in its atoms.
    1. True
    2. False
  123. Ions are atoms that have gained or lost neutrons
    1. True
    2. False
  124. How can the fibrous mineral asbestos be a sheet silicate?
    1. The sheets are folded accordion-style
    2. The sheets are torn into narrow strips
    3. The sheets roll up
    4. Asbestos is not a sheet silicate
  125. Sheet silicates include sheets of silica sandwiched with sheets containing
    1. Iron and magnesium
    2. Aluminum and magnesium
    3. Sodium and calcium
    4. Sodium and potassium
    5. Copper and Nickel
  126. The eight most abundant elements make up ____ of the earth’s crust by weight
    1. 10%
    2. 50%
    3. 75%
    4. 90%
    5. 99%
  127. This element is by far the most important cause of color in minerals, rocks, and soils
    1. Oxygen
    2. Silicon
    3. Iron
    4. Aluminum
    5. Carbon

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Created 15 Jan 1996
Last Update 22 Sept., 1997

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