Rocks and Minerals CSE 2022

~3 minutes per station leaves 5 extra minutes

Team: _________________________ Name(s): __________________________________________________

STATION 1 (16 points)

1. What mineral is shown in Image A? (2 points)
2. What crystal structure is exhibited in Image A? (1 point)
3. Briefly describe the formation process of the crystal structure in Image A. (3 points)
4. Frito-Lay, the chip company, has been experimenting with using the crystal structure in Image A to give their salt
more flavor without increasing the amount of salt they use. Why would you be able to taste more salt if it was in
this crystal structure? (3 points)
5. What other mineral from the official SciOly list can create these structures? (2 points)
6. What mineral is shown in Image B? (2 points)
7. What crystal structure is exhibited in Image B? (1 point)
8. What luster does the mineral represented by Image B exhibit? (2 points)

STATION 2 (13 points)

9. What rock is shown in Image C? (2 points)
10. What conditions are this rock formed in? (temperature and pressure) (2 points)
11. What rock is shown in Image D? (2 points)
12. True or False: The rock in Image D is susceptible to be broken down by acids. (1 point)
13. What type of Metamorphism is represented by bubble A in Image E? (2 points)
14. What type of Metamorphism is represented by bubble D in Image E? (2 points)
15. What type of Metamorphism is represented by bubble E in Image E? (2 points)
Team: _________________________ Name(s): __________________________________________________

STATION 3 (15 points)

16. What specimen is shown in Image F? (2 points)
17. What element is this specimen the most common ore of? (1 point)
18. What is this specimen’s fracture? (2 points)
19. What specimen is shown in Image G? (2 points)
20. What two elements is this specimen the main ore of? (2 points)
21. Which country produces roughly 1/3rd of this specimen worldwide? (2 points)
22. What specimen is shown in Image G? (2 points)
23. Which element is this specimen the main source of? (1 point)
24. What is this specimen’s tenacity? (1 point)

STATION 4 (17 points)

25. Identify the specimen in Image I (2 points)
26. Identify the specimen in Image J (2 points)
27. Identify the specimen in Image K (2 points)
28. Identify the specimen in Image L (2 points)
29. Identify the specimen in Image M (2 points)
30. Sort specimens I, J, K, L, and M in order from least to most hard following the Mohs hardness scale (5 points)
31. Why is the specimen in Image I especially important to the Mohs hardness scale? (2 points)

STATION 5 (14 points)

32. What mineral is represented in Image N? (2 points)
33. What mineral is represented in Image O? (2 points)
34. Describe the difference between contact twins and penetration twins. (4 points)
35. What is the specific word for a diamond or other crystal that is twinned? (2 points)
36. Define the criteria for the Japan twinning law. (4 points)

STATION 6 (16 points)

37. Identify the yellow mineral in Image P. (1 point)
38. What is a major defining characteristic unique to this mineral? (2 points)
39. Image Q is Halite, also known as table salt, under an electron microscope. What crystal structure does Halite
most commonly exhibit? (2 points)
40. Although Halite normally appears clear or slightly tinted, it fluoresces to what color? (2 points)
41. What rock is represented in Image R? (1 point)
42. Fill in the blank: This rock is notably common, but also happens to be slightly radioactive. The Uranium, Thorium,
and Radium in this rock all decay into _______ (a colorless, odorless and potentially carcinogenic gas). (2 points)
43. Although this rock can be radioactive, it is extremely unlikely to increase annual radioactivity exposure above
safety levels according to the EPA. (2 free points because I’m very happy I got to share fun facts about my
favorite radioactive rock)
44. What compound is the majority constituent of the rock in Image R? (2 points)
45. Which rock is Image R’s extrusive equivalent? (2 points)
Team: _________________________ Name(s): __________________________________________________

STATION 7 (20 points)

46. Identify Image S (2 points)
47. Identify Image T (2 points)
48. Identify Image U (2 points)
49. Identify Image V (2 points)
50. Identify Image W (2 points)
51. Identify Image X (2 points)
52. Identify Image Y (2 points)
53. Identify Image Z (2 points)
54. Identify Image AA (2 points)
55. Identify Image AB (2 points)

STATION 8 (17 points)

56. As seen in Image AC, Ulexite seems to raise text to its surfact. Who first discovered this property, and in what
year? (2 points)
57. What nickname did Ulexite acquire due to this property? (1 point)
58. What element is ulexite mined for as an ore? (2 points)
59. What mineral is represented in Image AD? (2 points)
60. What optical property does this mineral display? (1 point)
61. What causes this otical property? (2 points)
62. What mineral is represented in Image AE? (2 points)
63. What optical property is shown in Image AE? (1 point)
64. Explain how this optical property works. (2 points)
65. Identify at least two other minerals that display this optical property. (2 points)

STATION 9 (16 points + 2 bonus)

66. Identify the mineral in Image AF. (1 point)
67. What causes the purple color of this mineral? (2 points)
68. Identify the mineral in Image AG. (1 point)
69. What causes the orange-yellow color of this mineral? (2 points)
70. Identify the mineral in Image AH. (1 point)
71. What optical property does this mineral uniquely exhibit? (2 points)
72. What causes the aforementioned optical property? (3 points)
73. Identify the mineral in Image AI. (1 point)
74. For bonus points: Name the specific variety of this mineral. (hint: look at the color) (2 bonus points)
75. Identify the mineral in Image AJ. (1 point)
76. Fill in the blank: This mineral is the main component of the _____-rich part of banded iron formations. (2 points)
Team: _________________________ Name(s): __________________________________________________

STATION 10 (16 points)

77. Identify the rock in Image AK. (2 points)
78. What more fine-grained rock does this specimen share a similar composition with? (2 points)
79. Identify the rock in Image AL. (2 points)
80. True or False: This rock is not vesicular. (1 point)
81. This rock is oftenly used for landscaping purposes. Other than its often striking colors, what makes this rock ideal
for landscaping as well as drainage systems. (3 points)
82. Identify the rock in Image AM. (2 points)
83. What word describes this rock’s grain size? (2 points)
84. What is the slow-cooling and coarse-grained equivalent of this rock? (2 points)

STATION 11 (Polymorphs)
85. Identify the mineral in Image AN (1 point)
86. Identify the mineral in Image AO (1 point)
87. What property is shared between these minerals that can cause what you see in Image AP? (2 points)
88. Why does the process that changes a mineral from AO to AN take place? (3 points)
89. Identify the clear mineral in the top-left of Image AQ (1 point)
90. Identify the brown mineral in the bottom-right on Image AQ. (1 point)
91. What crystal habit does the bottom-right mineral display? (2 points)
92. True or False: Quartz and Tourmaline are polymorphs. (1 point)

STATION 12 (13 points)

93. Identify the specimen in Image AR. (2 points)
94. Why is this rock an ideal host for fossils? (3 points)
95. Identity the specimen in Image AS. (2 points)
96. What makes this rock and other sedimentary rocks so important to archaeologists? (4 points)
97. What is this rock used for outside of science? (2 points)

STATION 13 (20 points)

98. Identify the mineral in Image AT (2 points)
99. Identify the mineral in Image AU (the clear crystal) (2 points)
100. Identify the mineral in Image AV (2 points)
101. Identify the mineral in Image AW (2 points)
102. Identify the mineral in Image AX (2 points)
103. Identify the mineral in Image AY (2 points)
104. Identify the mineral in Image AZ (2 points)
105. Identify the mineral in Image BA (2 points)
106. Identify the mineral in Image BB (2 points)
Team: _________________________ Name(s): __________________________________________________
107. Identify the mineral in Image BC (2 points)

STATION 14 (13 points)

108. Identify the mineral in Image BD. (2 points)
109. What is the chemical formula of the mineral in Image BD? (2 points)
110. What causes this mineral to cleave in paper-thin planes? (3 points)
111. What dictates how crystals will form in a mineral? (2 points)
112. Identify the mineral in Image BE. (2 points)
113. What is the chemical formula of the mineral in Image BE? (2 points)

STATION 15 (15 points)

For questions 114-120, define the word(s). (1 point each)
114. Piezoelectricity
115. Diaphaneity
116. Alluvial Fan
117. Zeolite
118. Recrystallization
119. Evaporite
120. Plane Bedding
For questions 121-128, identify the specimen by its nickname. (1 point each)
121. Bog Iron
122. Kieselguhr
123. Fool’s Gold
124. Yellow Copper
125. Brimstone
126. Antimony Glance
127. Desmine
128. Black Jack