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95 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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what is a mineral?
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A mineral is a solid material, made of one substance, that occurs naturally on Earth.
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What are most of the common minerals are made of?
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Crystals.
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What is a crystal?
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A Crystal is a solid formed by a repeating, three-dimensional pattern of atoms, ions, or molecules and having fixed distances between the different parts.
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What is a amorphous solids?
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Minerals that do not grow in these regular or crystalline patterns are called Amorphous solids.
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Can some minerals be both crystalline and amorphous?
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yes
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What is Quartz made from?
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SiO2 (Silicon Oxide) t
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Can the quartz that you find in Asia has the same basic chemical make up as quartz found in Minnesota?
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yes
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How many naturally occurring elements are on the earth?
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There are 92 naturally occurring elements on earth
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List the top 8 naturally occurring elements
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1 oxygen,
2 silicon, 3 aluminum, 4 iron, 5 calcium, 6 sodium, 7 potassium, 8 magnesium. |
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What is a property of a mineral?
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A property is a characteristic of a mineral.
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Why do we need to know the property of a mineral?
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1. Properties help scientists to better understand how the mineral was formed
2. to help identify a mineral. |
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What are the 5 properties of mineral?
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1. luster,
2.hardness, 3. cleavage and fracture, 4. color and streak, 5. magnetism. |
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What is luster of a mineral?
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Luster is a property of a mineral that tells how the mineral reflects light.
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What are the two main ways that geologists categorize a mineral's luster?
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Metallic and Non-metallic.
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What is metallic minerals?
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Metallic minerals shine like metal,
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What is non-metallic minerals?
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non-metallic minerals vary greatly in their appearance. There are many different descriptions of non-metallic luster, we are going to discuss four. They are pearly, earthy, vitreous (glassy), and greasy.
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What is pearly luster?
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Pearly luster is iridescent, glows like a pearl.
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What is greasy luster?
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Greasy luster looks like the mineral is covered with grease, the mineral definitely shine
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What is earthy luster?
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Minerals with an earthy luster have a dull look with no shine. Minerals with an earthy luster look as though they are covered with dirt or dust.
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What is vitreous luster?
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Minerals with a vitreous luster (glassy) look like small pieces of a broken glass bottle
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Is color the best way to identify a mineral?
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No. Color is the easiest of the properties to see, but it is not always the best way to identify a mineral.
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Why many minerals have more than 1 color?
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IMPURITIES. Many minerals have more than one color because of impurities that were present during the formation of the mineral.
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What colors can Quartz be?
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Quartz can be clear, white, blue, brown, and almost black
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What is amethyst?
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Amethyst is a quartz crystal with a purple color.
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What makes amethyst purple?
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The impurity that makes amethyst purple is manganese.
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What is streak?
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Streak is a test used by a geologist to see the color of the mineral under the top layer or coating on the mineral.
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What is streak plate? what is streak plate's hardness? What does that mean?
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Streak plate is a piece of porcelain. The streak plate has a hardness of seven. Using minerals harder than seven will damage the streak plate.
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How the streak of minerals are tested?
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When the mineral is rubbed across the streak plate some of the mineral is broken off and ground into a powder. This allows the geologist to see under the outer layer which could have a different color due to the mineral being exposed to the atmosphere.
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Who was the first person set up a scale to determine the approximate hardness of minerals?
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n 1822 a German scientist by the name of Frederick Mohs set up a scale to determine the approximate hardness of minerals.
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On Frederick Mohs' scale of hardness of minerals, which is the softest? hardest?
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He arranged the minerals in his scale from softest (Talc) to hardest (Diamond).
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What are cleavage planes?
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These planes along which the mineral breaks are called cleavage planes.
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What is called perfect cleavage?
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If the mineral splits easily along these planes the mineral is then said to have perfect cleavage.
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Is mica a good example of perfect cleavage?
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Mica is a good example of perfect cleavage.
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How is feldspar's cleavage?
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Feldspar is an example of a mineral with cleavage in more than one direction.
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Does quartz has cleavage?
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Quartz is a mineral that has no cleavage at all. Quartz shatters likes glass when struck with a hammer.
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What is fracture?
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Fracture is related to cleavage. Fracture occurs when a mineral breaks at random lines instead of at consistent cleavage planes. Many minerals that have no cleavage or poor cleavage fracture easily.
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How many minerals on earth are magnetic?
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Only two minerals on earth are magnetic. They both have high quantities of iron. Magnetite is one of the magnetic minerals and pyrrhotite is the other.
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Name the two minerals which are magnetic?
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Magnetite and pyrrhotite.
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Which mineral was used by ancient sailors for compress? and how?
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Magnetite was used by ancient sailors for compasses. They would chip off needles of magnetite and float them on water and watch the needle point to the north.
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What is calcite?
What is it chemical formula? Where it is found? |
Calcite is pure calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is found in limestone and marble
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The crystals formed from pure calcite are in the form of what?
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The crystals formed from pure calcite are in the form of a perfect rhomboid. If you hit calcite with a hammer it will break into smaller but perfectly shaped rhomboids.
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what is Rhomboid?
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A rhomboid is a six-sided solid object in which the opposite sides are parallel. It has perfect cleavage in three directions.
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Is Calcite #1 on Mohs Hardness Scale?
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Calcite is number two on Mohs hardness scale. Calcite is the material that forms stalactites and stalagmites in caves.
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What is Calcite used as?
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Calcite is used as a fertilizer, cement, chalk, building stone, and for the manufacture of optical instruments.
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Is Talc #1 on Mohs Hardness Scale? what talc is also called?
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Talc is a mineral that has perfect cleavage and a greasy or soapy feel. It is given the distinction of being number 1 on Mohs hardness scale. Talc is also called soapstone which is used by artists for sculptures.
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What is ground talc used for?
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Talc can be ground up into talcum powder. Ground talc is also used to make crayons, paint, paper, and soap.
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What is hematite?
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Hematite is the most important source of iron ore in the world.
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What is the color of hematite?
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Hematite has a red or black color but the streak is always red.
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Why the iron in the hematite turns red?
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The iron in the hematite turns red when it comes in contact with water and oxygen. In other words this rock is rusted!!
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What is hematite's luster?
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Hematite has a metallic or earthy luster.
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Which content is rich in Magetite?
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Magnetite is a mineral that has a very high iron content.
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what is the color and streak of magnetite?
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Magnetite has a black or brownish-red color and a black streak.
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What is the rank of hematite on Mohs Hardness scale?
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The hardness of hematite is about 5 on Mohs hardness scale. It has no cleavage and breaks with an uneven fracture.
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Why Mars has reddish landscape? What does it tell us?
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The reddish landscape of Mars is due to the oxidized iron on its surface. This tells us that water and oxygen must have been present on Mars at one time.
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In the USA, where is hematite mostly mined?
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Lake Superior and Appalachian mountain regions of the United States. Small deposits are found in many states of the union.
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Which two countries are leading in mining of iron ore?
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Canada and Russia are leading countries in the mining of iron ore.
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What is the rank of magnetite on Mohs Hardness Scale?
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It has a hardness of about 6 on the Mohs hardness scale. It is one of two minerals in the world that is naturally magnetic.
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What is magnetite also known as?
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Magnetite, also known as lodestone, is found throughout the United States.
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Magnetite is an important source of what?
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Magnetite is an important source of iron ore and occurs in many igneous rocks.
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Which city is the leading iron manufacturing center in Russia?
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There is a city in Russia by the name of Magnitogorsk that received its name because of the unusually high quantities and quality of magnetite found in the mountains surrounding the city. Magnitogorsk is a leading iron manufacturing center in Russia today.
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Galena is a important source of what?
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Galena is an important source of lead.
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What is Galena's chemical symbol?
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Galena's chemical symbol is PbS, which is lead and sulfur.
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Which country is the leading producer of lead in the world
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The United States
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Lead was used in pencils and paint until it was found to be poisonous to humans . Today pencil "lead" is made of another mineral called what?
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graphite.
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what is galena's luster, color and streak?
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It has a metallic luster and a black to dark gray color and streak.
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what is galena's hardness?
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Galena has a hardness of about 2.5 on Mohs hardness scale which is about as hard as your finger nail.
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Galena usually occurs in what crystals?
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Cubic crystals. If you hit a specimen of galena with a hammer it will shatter into small perfect cubic crystals.
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Is color the most reliable test for identify a mineral?
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Color is one of the least reliable tests for identifying a mineral sample, but may provide some clues depending on the specimen.
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What is Mohs Scale of Hardness?
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Hardness - Mohs Scale of Hardness is commonly used to determine the hardness of a mineral ranging from 1 for the softest mineral to 10 for the hardest mineral. To determine a mineral’s hardness, try scratching the mineral with an object (fingernail, coin, nail, or piece of glass) or scratching an object with a mineral sample.
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What is the range of Mohs Scale of Hardness?
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from 1 softest to 10 hardest.
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If a mineral is scratched by a fingernail, it would be softer than a what #?
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2.5
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If the mineral scratches a penny, it would be harder than a what #?
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3
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What is the transparency of mineral?
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Transparency - Can you see through it? Some minerals are highly transparent and you can see through them. Minerals that are considered translucent only allow light to pass through it. Other minerals are opaque, which means that you cannot see through them.
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what is double refraction?
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Double Refraction - Some minerals, such as calcite, cause a double image
when placed over a words in a book or an object. |
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what is special gravity?
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Specific Gravity — This property is the weight of the mineral relative to the weight of an equal volume of water. Minerals with a high specific gravity or density feel heavy for their size, such as galena. Those with a low specific gravity, such as graphite, feel light for their size.
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1) A mineral must occur ____________________ in the Earth’s crust. It cannot be a
manufactured or manmade item. |
1) A mineral must occur naturally in the Earth’s crust. It cannot be a
manufactured or manmade item. |
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2) A mineral must be ________________ rather than organic. Organic materials are formed from ____________ things. Minerals must be made from materials that were never living things.
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2) A mineral must be inorganic rather than organic. Organic materials are formed from living things. Minerals must be made from materials that were never living things.
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3) A mineral is always a _______________. Minerals cannot be liquids or gases.
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3) A mineral is always a solid. Minerals cannot be liquids or gases.
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4) A mineral has a ____________ ____________ _______________. Minerals may be made of a single element. Some minerals are formed by compounds, or combinations of two or more elements.
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4) A mineral has a definite chemical composition. Minerals may be made of a single element. Some minerals are formed by compounds, or combinations of two or more elements.
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5) A mineral’s atoms are arranged in a definite _________________. This repeating pattern is called a ______________.
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5) A mineral’s atoms are arranged in a definite pattern. This repeating pattern is called a crystal.
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Is ice a mineral? If not, why not?
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yes. Ice may not be normally thought of as a mineral; however, it meets all the characteristics.
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Is steel a mineral? If not, why not
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no, Steel is 1. manmade, and 2. no crystals
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Is oxygen a mineral? If not, why no
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No, Oxygen is a gas
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Is diamond a mineral? If not, why no
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Yes
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Is copper a mineral? If not, why no
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Yes
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Is halite(salt) a mineral? If not, why not?
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Yes
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Is coal a mineral? If not, why not?
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No. Coal - organic
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Is sugar a mineral? If not, why not?
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No. Sugar - organic
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Is gold a mineral? If not, why not?
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Yes
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Is silver a mineral? If not, why not?
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Yes
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Is graphite a mineral? If not, why not?
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Yes
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Is cement a mineral? If not, why not?
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No. Cement - manmade
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Is wood a mineral? If not, why not?
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No. Wood - organic
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Is glass a mineral? If not, why not?
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No. Glass - no crystals
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Is Sulfur a mineral? If not, why not?
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Yes
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