Matter and Minerals
What is Matter?
Matter the substance of which any physical
object is composed
States of Matter:
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Examples:
Gold
solid
Controlling factors:
Temperature
Pressure
Mercury
liquid
Oxygen
gas
The stuff that makes up all matter
The make-up of solid matter on Earth:
Atoms Elements Compounds Minerals Rocks
(smallest)
(largest)
Elements:
fundamental building blocks
smallest matter that cant be broken down
Periodic Table of Elements
The stuff that makes up all matter
The make-up of solid matter on Earth:
Atoms Elements Compounds Minerals Rocks
(smallest)
(largest)
Atoms:
the stuff that builds elements
the smallest particle that uniquely defines an element
Atomic Structure
Particles that make up an atom:
Protons: positive (+) charge
Neutrons: no charge
Electrons: negative (-) charge
Protons + neutrons define the nucleus of an atom.
Layers of electrons that orbit around the nucleus are
called orbitals or energy-level shells.
Atomic Structure
Periodic Table of Elements
Atomic Number (# of protons)
Mass number = # protons + # neutrons
Can atoms of the same element have
different mass numbers?
YES
These are called isotopes.
Example: (Carbon)
12C 13C 14C
Atomic weight =
# protons + average # neutrons
Atomic Structure
Atoms of the same element:
have the same number of protons
(i.e.,
same atomic number)
can have different numbers of neutrons
(referred to as isotopes)
can have different numbers of electrons
Ion an atom that has gained or lost an electron
Atomic Structure
Sodium atom
loses an electron
(becomes positively
charged)
Chlorine atom
gains an electron
(becomes negatively
charged)
Atomic Structure
Types of IONS:
CATIONS a loss of electrons, resulting
in a positive (+) charge
ANIONS a gain of electrons, resulting
in a negative (-) charge
Examples:
Na+ (cation)
Cl (anion)
NaCl (table salt)
chemical compound
Compounds
Definition:
A chemical compound consists of elements that
combine in a specific ratio.
Examples:
NaCl
H2O
The smallest quantity of a compound is called
a molecule.
Molecules are held together by chemical
bonding.
Bonding chemical marriage
Chemical bonding:
formation of a compound by combining two or
more elements
manner in which electrons are distributed among
atoms
In bonded atoms, electrons may be lost, gained,
or shared.
4 types of bonding:
ionic
covalent
metallic
van der Waals
Bonding chemical marriage
Ionic bonding:
electrons are transferred between atoms forming
attracting ions (e.g., NaCl)
Na+
Cl
Bonding chemical marriage
Ionic bonding:
orderly arrangement of oppositely charged ions
bonds are moderately strong (salt dissolves in water)
Bonding chemical marriage
Covalent bonding:
electrons are shared between atoms
Chlorine gas molecule, Cl2
generally strong
bonds
(e.g., diamond, pure C)
Bonding chemical marriage
Metallic bonding:
electrons drift around from atom to atom
copper, gold, silver)
(e.g.,
good conductors of electrical current
generally weaker, less common than other bonds
Gold, Au
Bonding chemical marriage
Van der Waals bonding:
sheets of covalently bonded atoms held together by
weak electrostatic forces
very weak bonds
examples: graphite, mica
The stuff that makes up all matter
The make-up of solid matter on Earth:
Atoms Elements Compounds Minerals Rocks
(smallest)
(largest)
Minerals: the building blocks of rocks
Definition of a Mineral:
naturally occurring
inorganic
solid
characteristic crystalline structure
definite chemical composition
Definition of a Rock:
A solid aggregate (mixture) of minerals
Mineral characteristics
Definition of a Mineral:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
naturally occurring
inorganic
solid
characteristic crystalline structure
definite chemical composition
steel plastic sugar table salt mercury ice
coal
no, #1 no, #1 no, #1,2
YES!
no, #3 YES!
basalt
no, #5
obsidian mica gold paper
no, #4
YES!
YES!
no, #1,2
no, #2
coral
no, #2
Mineral characteristics
Naturally formed
No substance created artificially is a mineral.
examples: plastic, steel, sugar, paper
Inorganic
Anything formed by a living organism and
containing organic materials is not a mineral.
examples: wood, plants, shells, coal
Solid
Liquids and gases are not minerals.
examples: water, petroleum, lava, oxygen
Mineral characteristics
Characteristic crystalline structure
must have an ordered arrangement of atoms
displays repetitive geometric patterns in 3-D
glass not a mineral (no internal crystalline structure)
Definite chemical composition
must have consistent chemical formula
examples: gold (Au), quartz (SiO2), orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
basalt (like many other rocks) contains variable ratios of
different minerals; thus, has no consistent formula
How many minerals are there?
Nearly 4,000 types of minerals
Only ~30 occur commonly (whew!)
Why not more?
Some combinations are chemically impossible
Relative abundances of elements dont allow more
Element abundances in the crust
All others: 1.5%
