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EnglandGeologyQuick questions
Elements, minerals and rocks
Quick questions on Atomic structure and bonding in minerals: rock-forming elements, isotopes and bond types - Eduqas A-Level Geology
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are the major rock-forming elements?Show answer
Almost the whole crust is built from a small number of elements. By mass the eight most abundant are oxygen (about 46 percent), silicon (about 28 percent), then aluminium, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. Oxygen and silicon dominate because they combine to make the silicate minerals, which are the bulk of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Knowing this list explains why silicates are so common and why oxides and carbonates of iron, calcium and magnesium are the next most important groups.
What is q1?Show answer
State the two most abundant elements in the Earth's crust by mass. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain why quartz has no cleavage but mica has one perfect cleavage. [3 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Native gold is malleable, dense and conducts electricity. State the type of bonding and justify your answer. [2 marks]
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