GEOLOGY EXAM 1 QUESTIONS WITH
CORRECT ANSWERS
What are Mineral Characteristics? - Answer- Crystal Shape of Habit
Color
Luster
Cleavage
Wat is a Mineral's Crystal Shape of Habit? - Answer- Minerals have a specific crystal
shapes
Only seen when allowed to grow in uninterrupted space
Due to the arrangement of the atoms
Cubes, prisms, sheets, needles, etc...
Mineral Color - Answer- Can be a very useful indicator if the mineral has a specific color
BUT one mineral can have several colors (Quartz)
What is mineral luster? - Answer- The way the surface of a mineral interacts with light
What are the three types of mineral luster? - Answer- Pearly (like a pearl)
Metallic (like tin foil)
Viteous (like glass)
What is mineral cleavage? - Answer- How the mineral breaks, based on bonding
NO cleavage = fracture
What is a fracture? - Answer- When a mineral does not break in a regular way
What are the four types of mineral tests? - Answer- Hardness
Streak
Reaction with HCL
Magnetism
How is mineral hardness tested? - Answer- Using a comparative scale called MOh's
hardness scale
How is mineral streak used? - Answer- The color of the powdered mineral
No matter the color of the mineral, the streak will always be the same
May not match the color of the mineral
, How is mineral reaction with HCL used? - Answer- When HCL is dropped onto the
mineral it will fizz
How is mineral magnetics used? - Answer- some iron-rich mineral are magnetic
What are silicate minerals usually composed of? - Answer- One silicon atom bonded to
four oxygen atoms - forms a tetrahedron
What are three other common, non-silicate minerals? - Answer- Carbonates
Oxides
Sulfides
What is Geology? - Answer- Geology is the study of the earth, including the earth's
composition, structure and the processes that have shaped it
What geologic factors influence people? - Answer- Mountains and valleys, volcanoes,
faults and earthquakes, rivers, climate, natural resources
What are the three natural resources? - Answer- Minerals, oil, water
How are populations influenced by geology? - Answer- Low populations tend to live in
extreme terrain where places of high population are usually on flat lands near natural
resources.
What are the three basic layers of the earth? - Answer- Crust, mantle, core
Describe the Lithosphere - Answer- Crust and upper mantle
5-205 km thick
Brittle
Describe the Asthenosphere - Answer- Ductile
Convection
Lower mantle
Describe the Outer Core - Answer- liquid, molten
Metallic Fe and Ni
What is Isostasy? - Answer- The gravitational equilibrium between the ductile
asthenosphere and the brittle lithosphere
Describe Continental Crust - Answer- Thick
less dense, buoyant
made up of granite
Describe oceanic crust - Answer- thin
more dense, sinks
CORRECT ANSWERS
What are Mineral Characteristics? - Answer- Crystal Shape of Habit
Color
Luster
Cleavage
Wat is a Mineral's Crystal Shape of Habit? - Answer- Minerals have a specific crystal
shapes
Only seen when allowed to grow in uninterrupted space
Due to the arrangement of the atoms
Cubes, prisms, sheets, needles, etc...
Mineral Color - Answer- Can be a very useful indicator if the mineral has a specific color
BUT one mineral can have several colors (Quartz)
What is mineral luster? - Answer- The way the surface of a mineral interacts with light
What are the three types of mineral luster? - Answer- Pearly (like a pearl)
Metallic (like tin foil)
Viteous (like glass)
What is mineral cleavage? - Answer- How the mineral breaks, based on bonding
NO cleavage = fracture
What is a fracture? - Answer- When a mineral does not break in a regular way
What are the four types of mineral tests? - Answer- Hardness
Streak
Reaction with HCL
Magnetism
How is mineral hardness tested? - Answer- Using a comparative scale called MOh's
hardness scale
How is mineral streak used? - Answer- The color of the powdered mineral
No matter the color of the mineral, the streak will always be the same
May not match the color of the mineral
, How is mineral reaction with HCL used? - Answer- When HCL is dropped onto the
mineral it will fizz
How is mineral magnetics used? - Answer- some iron-rich mineral are magnetic
What are silicate minerals usually composed of? - Answer- One silicon atom bonded to
four oxygen atoms - forms a tetrahedron
What are three other common, non-silicate minerals? - Answer- Carbonates
Oxides
Sulfides
What is Geology? - Answer- Geology is the study of the earth, including the earth's
composition, structure and the processes that have shaped it
What geologic factors influence people? - Answer- Mountains and valleys, volcanoes,
faults and earthquakes, rivers, climate, natural resources
What are the three natural resources? - Answer- Minerals, oil, water
How are populations influenced by geology? - Answer- Low populations tend to live in
extreme terrain where places of high population are usually on flat lands near natural
resources.
What are the three basic layers of the earth? - Answer- Crust, mantle, core
Describe the Lithosphere - Answer- Crust and upper mantle
5-205 km thick
Brittle
Describe the Asthenosphere - Answer- Ductile
Convection
Lower mantle
Describe the Outer Core - Answer- liquid, molten
Metallic Fe and Ni
What is Isostasy? - Answer- The gravitational equilibrium between the ductile
asthenosphere and the brittle lithosphere
Describe Continental Crust - Answer- Thick
less dense, buoyant
made up of granite
Describe oceanic crust - Answer- thin
more dense, sinks
