GEOS 1004 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Silicate Minerals, Continental Crust, Oceanic Crust
Document Summary
Mineral: naturally occurring solid formed by geologic processes that has a crystalline structure and a definable chemical composition, almost all are inorganic. Solidification of molten rock or direct precipitation from a water solution that did not involve living organisms: materials produced by organisms are considered minerals by some geologists. Crystalline structure: the atoms that make up minerals are immovable. Definable chemical composition a: most are compounds of two or more elements. It is possible to write a chemical formula for a mineral. Inorganic: organic chemicals are molecules containing some carbon-hydrogen bond s. Silicates: make up more than 95 percent of the continental crust and almost 100 percent of oceanic crust, most common minerals on earth c. Silicon oxygen tetrahedron building block of silicate minerals. Crystal a: crystal faces grow naturally as the mineral forms, constancy of interfacial angles, faces and angles reflect crystalline structure, ordered atoms packed tightly together. Physical properties: hardness and shape depend upon.
