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. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. When an atom loses or gains electrons, it becomes a(n):
    1. isotope
    2. neutron
    3. proton
    4. native element
    5. ion
  10. Which of these fundamental forces is not involved in the structure of the atom?
    1. gravity
    2. electromagnetism
    3. strong nuclear force
  11. These minerals have good cleavage
    1. silicates
    2. sulfides
    3. oxides
    4. carbonates
  12. 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
  13. After silicates, the most important rock-forming minerals:
    1. oxides
    2. sulfates
    3. halides
    4. carbonates
  14. Lacks good cleavage:
    1. mica
    2. quartz
    3. calcite
    4. halite
  15. 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
  16. The single most abundant mineral on earth:
    1. hematite
    2. calcite
    3. gypsum
    4. amphibole
    5. quartz
  17. This gem mineral is an oxide of aluminum:
    1. topaz
    2. diamond
    3. zircon
    4. sapphire
  18. Which is a phyllosilicate?
    1. garnet
    2. clay minerals
    3. amphibole
    4. pyroxene
  19. Calcite will scratch glass. True or false?
    1. True
    2. False
  20. 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
  21. Bonding in minerals is mostly:
    1. ionic
    2. metallic
    3. covalent
    4. mixture of these
  22. 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
  23. The charged atoms that make up most crystal structures:
    1. protons
    2. tetrahedra
    3. catalysts
    4. ions
  24. Pyrite is:
    1. a silicate
    2. an important iron ore
    3. water-soluble
    4. none of the above
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. ____________________ are examples of sheet silicates:
    1. micas and clay minerals
    2. pyroxenes and amphiboles
    3. olivine and feldspar
    4. staurolite and quartz
  28. The tendency of some minerals to break along smooth planes
    1. crystallization
    2. fracture
    3. weathering
    4. cleavage
  29. The most common single mineral on Earth is:
    1. chromium
    2. copper
    3. halite
    4. quartz
  30. "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
  31. These minerals are often water-soluble
    1. silicates
    2. sulfides
    3. oxides
    4. halides
  32. 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
  33. This gem mineral is an oxide of aluminum:
    1. topaz
    2. diamond
    3. zircon
    4. ruby
  34. 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
  35. These minerals are among the leading contributors to acid rain:
    1. sulfates
    2. sulfides
    3. silicates
    4. nitrates
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. Which is not a phyllosilicate?
    1. mica
    2. clay minerals
    3. serpentine asbestos
    4. pyroxene
  39. You can identify diamonds by seeing if they scratch glass. True or false?
    1. True
    2. False
  40. 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
  41. 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
  42. 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
  43. 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
  44. Many minerals break along closely spaced planes and are said to possess:
    1. specific gravity
    2. fracture
    3. cleavage
    4. double
    5. covalent bonds
  45. 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
  46. 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
  47. This mineral suite includes many major ores:
    1. halides
    2. sulfides
    3. sulfates
    4. carbonates
  48. The strong nuclear force
    1. holds the nucleus together
    2. attracts electrons to the nucleus
    3. keeps the electrons organized into shells
  49. A mineral suite that contains radicals
    1. oxides
    2. sulfides
    3. halides
    4. sulfates
  50. Which property is most directly related to the closeness of atoms in a mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  51. Which property is related to planes of weakness between atoms in a mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  52. Which property is related to the strength of bonding between atoms in a mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  53. Which property is least reliable in identifying minerals?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. color
  54. Which property is least likely to be affected by weathering of the mineral?
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. color
    4. fracture
  55. 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.
  56. Hardness refers to:
    1. resistance to chemical alteration.
    2. difficulty in breaking.
    3. roughness.
    4. resistance to scratching.
  57. The property that causes salt to come out of a salt shaker as tiny cubes:
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  58. The property that causes quartz to break along smoothly curving surfaces:
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  59. The property that makes gold panning possible:
    1. hardness
    2. density
    3. cleavage
    4. fracture
  60. The single most important group of minerals in abundance:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  61. Limestone and dolomite are made from these minerals:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  62. Tend to be dense, metallic in luster, and often have cubic crystals:
    1. sulfides
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  63. Have good cleavage and fizz in acid:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  64. Light in color and weight, good cleavage, often water-soluble:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. halides
  65. A hard mineral is most likely to be one of these:
    1. silicates
    2. carbonates
    3. halides
    4. sulfates
  66. Gold, diamonds and graphite are examples::
    1. native elements
    2. carbonates
    3. oxides
    4. sulfates
  67. Quartz is one of these:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  68. Mica is an example:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  69. Amphibole and Pyroxene are examples:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  70. Most likely to split into thin sheets:
    1. mica
    2. halite
    3. calcite
    4. quartz
  71. Most likely to split into splintery fragments:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  72. Chain silicates include:
    1. clays and micas
    2. amphiboles and pyroxenes
    3. feldspars
    4. olivine and garnet
  73. Which has the lowest hardness?:
    1. feldspar
    2. calcite
    3. topaz
    4. gypsum
  74. Olivine is an example:
    1. sheet silicate
    2. chain silicate
    3. silicate with single tetrahedra
    4. framework silicate
  75. Quartz:
    1. can scratch glass.
    2. has good cleavage
    3. has density of 5 grams per cubic centimeter
    4. dissolves in acid
  76. Calcite:
    1. can scratch glass.
    2. has good cleavage
    3. has density of 5 grams per cubic centimeter
    4. dissolves in acid
  77. Which is likely to have the highest density?
    1. halide
    2. sulfate
    3. sulfide
    4. carbonate
  78. Has silica tetrahedra arranged in three-dimensional networks:
    1. mica
    2. olivine
    3. halite
    4. feldspar
  79. Which property is not desirable in a gemstone?
    1. hardness
    2. beauty
    3. rarity
    4. good cleavage
    5. ability to refract light
  80. Atoms of this element occupy more space in the crust than all other atoms combined:
    1. oxygen
    2. chlorine
    3. sulfur
    4. silicon
  81. This kind of atomic bonding holds most minerals together:
    1. covalent
    2. metallic
    3. ionic
    4. organic
  82. The most abundant negatively-charged ion in the earth's crust:
    1. oxygen
    2. silicon
    3. sulfur
    4. iron
  83. The most abundant positively-charged ion in the earth's crust:
    1. oxygen
    2. silicon
    3. sulfur
    4. iron
  84. 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.
  85. 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.
  86. 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
  87. 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.
  88. After oxygen, the most abundant negatively-charged ion in the earth's crust:
    1. chlorine
    2. silicon
    3. sulfur
    4. iron

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Created 15 Jan 1996
Last Update 22 Sept., 1997

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