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    Earth Science worksheet
    Topic: Properties Of Common Minerals

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    Properties Of Common Minerals
    1

    Which rock is composed of a mineral that can be used for the production of cement?

    (1) basalt

    (2) limestone

    (3) rock salt

    (4) rock gypsum

    2

    The element silicon (Si) is used in the production of cell phones. Which mineral could be a possible source of this silicon?

    (1) calcite

    (2) galena

    (3) halite

    (4) quartz

    3

    The data table below gives characteristics of the gemstone peridot.

    reference-tables, properties-of-common-minerals, rocks-and-minerals, properties-identification-and-use-of-minerals, standard-1-math-and-science-inquery, changing-length-of-a-shadow-based-on-the-motion-of-the-sun, standard-6-interconnectedness, models fig: esci62015-exam_g26.png

    Peridot is a form of the mineral

    (1) pyrite

    (2) pyroxene

    (3) olivine

    (4) garnet

    4

    Which mineral is mined for its iron content?

    (1) hematite

    (2) fluorite

    (3) galena

    (4) talc

    5

    Which mineral is produced when two atoms of iron chemically combine with three atoms of oxygen?

    (1) garnet

    (2) pyrite

    (3) magnetite

    (4) hematite

    Base your answers to questions 6 on the mineral chart below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The mineral chart lists some properties of five minerals that are the major sources of the same metallic element that is used by many industries.

    reference-tables, properties-of-common-minerals, rocks-and-minerals, properties-identification-and-use-of-minerals, standard-1-math-and-science-inquery, changing-length-of-a-shadow-based-on-the-motion-of-the-sun, standard-6-interconnectedness, models fig: esci82016-examw_g31.png

    6

    Which two minerals have compositions that are most similar to calcite?

    (1) brucite and carnallite

    (2) carnallite and dolomite

    (3) dolomite and magnesite

    (4) magnesite and olivine

    7

    Mineral crystals of quartz, biotite mica, and amphibole are produced primarily by the

    (1) chemical reaction of elements in seawater

    (2) cooling and solidification of magma

    (3) deposition of sediments by a glacier

    (4) metamorphism of bituminous coal

    8

    Which two minerals are commercial sources of iron?

    (1) galena and graphite

    (2) muscovite mica and biotite mica

    (3) garnet and fluorite

    (4) hematite and magnetite

    9

    Which three minerals are most likely used in the construction of a house?

    (1) graphite, pyrite, and halite

    (2) garnet, galena, and sulfur

    (3) talc, amphibole, and fluorite

    (4) selenite gypsum, dolomite, and muscovite mica

    Base your answers to questions 10 on the passage below and on your knowledge of Earth science.

    Carrara Marble

    Carrara marble is named for the town of Carrara on the west coast of Italy. This dazzling white marble has been mined since the time of the ancient Romans and remains the major industry of the area today. The marble has many commercial uses, such as tombstones, countertops, tiles, and building stones. Its chemical purity, uniform color, and hardness make this marble an ideal material for artists who carve statues from rock. Major museums around the world have statues carved from Carrara marble.

    The formation of Carrara marble began 200 million years ago when a great thickness of tiny shells was deposited at the bottom of a warm, shallow sea. Over time, burial and compaction of these sediments formed sedimentary rock primarily composed of pure calcite. Approximately 27 million years ago, tectonic forces caused this area of the seafloor bedrock to be deformed and metamorphosed, forming the Carrara marble. Uplift and erosion later exposed huge formations of this famous marble.

    10

    In terms of mineral properties, explain why a statue is easier to carve from pure white marble rather than from pure white quartzite. [1]

    Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:

    • — The mineral that makes up quartzite is harder than the mineral that makes up marble.

    • — The hardness of calcite is only 3 while the hardness of quartz is 7.

    • — Marble is softer than quartzite because it is made of calcite, a softer mineral.

    Base your answers to questions 11 on the table below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The table shows the elements and their percent compositions by mass in the five minerals present in a rock sample.

    reference-tables, properties-of-common-minerals, rocks-and-minerals, properties-identification-and-use-of-minerals, standard-1-math-and-science-inquery, changing-length-of-a-shadow-based-on-the-motion-of-the-sun fig: esci12016-examw_g50.png

    11

    Identify one mineral in this rock sample that can scratch the mineral olivine. [1]

    Allow 1 credit for garnet or quartz.

    Base your answers to questions 12 on the data table below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The data table shows the range of temperatures at which different minerals crystallize as molten magma cools and solidifi es.

    rocks-and-minerals, formation-of-minerals, standard-1-math-and-science-inquery, eccentricity-rate-gradient-standard-error, standard-6-interconnectedness, models fig: esci82022-exam_g49.png

    12

    List the two elements that are commonly found in olivine, pyroxene, and potassium feldspar. [1]

    _______________________________________ and _______________________________________

    Allow 1 credit for silicon/Si and oxygen/O.

    Base your answers to questions 13 on the cross section below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The cross section represents a portion of Earth’s crust. Letters A, B, C, and D indicate sedimentary rock layers that were originally formed from deposits in a sea. The rock layers have not been overturned.

    earth-history, earth-history, relative-age-and-sequence-of-rock-strata, standard-6-interconnectedness, models fig: esci12015-examw_g51.png

    13

    Identify the mineral composition of rock layer D. [1]

    Allow 1 credit for calcite or CaCO3 or calcium carbonate.

    Base your answers to questions 14 on the diagram below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents the formation of coal and other fossil fuels in the environment.

    geologic-history, reference-tables, earth-history, earth-history, geologic-time-units-and-the-events, standard-1-math-and-science-inquery, changing-length-of-a-shadow-based-on-the-motion-of-the-sun, standard-6-interconnectedness, models fig: esci12020-examw_g35.png

    14

    Identify the primary chemical element found in coal. [1]

    Allow 1 credit for carbon or C.

    Base your answers to questions 15 on the diagram in image provided and on your knowledge of Earth science. The diagram represents several common rock-forming minerals and some of the igneous rocks in which they commonly occur. The minerals are divided into two groups, A and B. Dashed lines connect the diagram of diorite to the three minerals that are commonly part of diorite’s composition.
    15

    Describe one characteristic of the minerals in group A that makes them different from the minerals in group B. [1]

    Group A:

    Allow 1 credit. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to:

    • Group A:

    • — lighter colored

    • — more felsic

    • — lower density

    • — lacks magnesium/Mg/iron/Fe

    • — rich in silicon/Si/aluminum/Al