Minerals, Rocks and Rock Cycle - Vocabulary Flashcards (ENGLISH)

A vocabulary-focused set of flashcards covering minerals, their properties, silicate structures, and the rock cycle as presented in the lecture notes.

Naturally occurring

Found in nature, not manufactured or synthetic.

Solid

A state with definite shape and volume, not liquid or gas.

Inorganic

Not produced by living tissue.

Definite chemical composition

A mineral has a fixed chemical formula or composition.

Crystalline structure

Atoms arranged in an orderly, repeating pattern.

Halite

Mineral form of NaCl; typically cubic crystals.

Ice

Naturally occurring ice is a mineral; man-made ice is not.

Amber

Not a mineral; fossil resin with chemical formula C10H16O.

Magnetite

Mineral Fe3O4; magnetic; can be formed by bacteria.

Atom

Fundamental unit of matter; cannot be broken down by ordinary chemical processes.

Nucleus

Center of the atom containing protons and neutrons.

Proton

Positively charged subatomic particle in the nucleus.

Neutron

Electrically neutral subatomic particle in the nucleus.

Electron

Negatively charged subatomic particle surrounding the nucleus.

Cation

Positively charged ion (loss of electrons).

Anion

Negatively charged ion (gain of electrons).

Ionic bond

Bond formed by transfer of electrons, producing ions.

Covalent bond

Bond formed by sharing electrons; typically strong.

Metallic bond

Delocalized electrons allow bonding between metal atoms.

Van der Waals bond

Weak attraction between molecules; no electron transfer or sharing.

Crystal

A single continuous piece of crystalline solid with flat faces.

Crystal face

Flat surfaces on a crystal that grow without obstruction.

Law of constancy of interfacial angles

Angles between crystal faces are constant for a given substance.

Crystal structure

Regular, orderly, periodic arrangement of atoms in a mineral.

Polymorphs

Minerals with the same chemical composition but different crystal structures.

High pressure

Conditions that can change crystal structure or stability.

Aragonite

CaCO3 polymorph of higher density; forms under different conditions.

Calcite

CaCO3 polymorph; differs from aragonite in structure.

Mineral formation

Processes by which minerals crystallize or precipitate.

Crystallization from melt

Crystals form from molten rock as it cools.

Precipitation from water

Minerals form by precipitation from aqueous solutions.

Biochemical sedimentary rocks

Sedimentary rocks formed by biological activity.

Weathering

Breakdown of rocks at or near Earth's surface.

Metamorphism

Transformation of rocks due to heat and pressure.

Diagenesis

Post-depositional changes in sediments; lithification.

Precipitation from vapor

Mineral formation from a vapor phase.

Seed

Initial crystal core around which growth occurs.

Crystal growth

Expansion of a crystal as atoms attach to a growing surface.

Quartz

SiO2; a common silicate mineral.

Silicate minerals

Minerals that contain SiO4 tetrahedra.

Silica tetrahedron

SiO4^4- unit; four oxygens around silicon.

SiO4^4-

Tetrahedral silica unit common in silicates.

Independent tetrahedron

Silicate structure where tetrahedra do not share oxygens (e.g., olivine, garnet).

Olivine

Independent tetrahedron silicate; (Mg,Fe)2SiO4.

Garnet

Independent tetrahedron silicate with a complex crystal structure.

Pyroxene

Single-chain silicate (SiO3)^2- chains.

Amphibole

Double-chain silicate with more complex structure.

Mica

Sheet silicate; forms thin, flexible sheets.

Clay minerals

Sheet silicates from layered structures; common in soils.

Feldspar

Framework silicate; most abundant mineral group in crust.

Rocks

Coherent naturally occurring solid composed of minerals or glass.

Igneous rocks

Rocks formed by cooling and crystallization of melt.

Sedimentary rocks

Rocks formed by deposition, lithification, or precipitation.

Metamorphic rocks

Rocks transformed by heat/pressure without melting.

Rock cycle

Interconnected processes converting rocks among igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic forms.

Intrusive

Igneous rocks that crystallize below the surface.

Extrusive

Igneous rocks that erupt onto the surface.

Native elements

Elements found in nature in native, uncombined form (e.g., gold, copper, diamond).