In learning about chemical reactions involving geologic materials, keep in mind the differences among elements, minerals, and rocks

Question

For each word listed below, indicate whether it refers to an element, a mineral, or a rock. If it refers to a mineral, list the elements that compose the mineral. If it refers to a rock, list the common minerals that compose the rock, and the elements that compose each mineral.
silicon quartz granite basalt
iron hematite calcium calcite
limestone halite rock salt biotite
aluminum kaolinite feldspar sandstone

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

silicon – element (Si); quartz – mineral with silicon (Si) and oxygen (O); granite – rock, with sodium feldspar (Na, Al, Si, O), potassium feldspar (K, Al, Si, O), quartz (Si, O), biotite (K, Mg, Fe, Al, Si, O, OH ion), amphibole (Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Si, Al, O, OH); basalt – rock, with olivine (Mg, Fe, Si, O), pyroxene (Mg, Fe, Si, O), plagioclase feldspar (Na, Ca, Al, Si, O); iron – element (Fe); hematite – mineral with iron (Fe) and oxygen (O); calcium – element (Ca); calcite – mineral with calcium (Ca), carbon (C), and oxygen (O); limestone – rock, made up of calcite (Ca, C, O); halite – mineral with sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl); rock salt – rock, made up of halite (Na, Cl); biotite – mineral with potassium (K), iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), oxygen (O), and hydroxyl ion(OH); aluminum – element (Al); kaolinite – mineral with aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), oxygen (O), hydroxyl ion (OH); feldspar – mineral, potassium variety has K, Al, Si, O, sodium variety has Na, Al, Si, O, and plagioclase has Na, Ca, Al, Si, and O; sandstone – rock, made up of sand-sized grains but does not infer composition of grains; quartz (Si, O) is usually most common.