GEOL 1001 Study Guide - Final Guide: Plagioclase, Euhedral And Anhedral, Muscovite
Document Summary
***minerals are- naturally occurring, solid, definite chemical composition, ordered atomic arrangements, mostly inorganic. ***in minerals atoms are not distributed randomly and cannot move around easily. ***internal patter controls most mineral properties; crystal shape and symmetry. ***lattice atoms are held in place by atomic bonds. ***diamonds(strong covalent bonds; hardest mineral) and graphite(weak van der waals bonds; softest mineral) are both carbon polymorphs. ***crystals grow by solidification from a melt, precipitation from solution, and solid state diffusion. ***solidification from a melt- atoms begin to attach to the seed when the melt becomes so cool that the thermal vibrations can no longer break apart the attraction between the seed and the atoms in the melt. ***precipitation from a solution- crystals develop when the solution becomes saturated. ***diffusion in solids- movement of atoms or ions through a solid to arrange into a new crystal structure; very slow process. ***in a crystalline material, atoms are arranged in a very regular pattern.
