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GEO 211 - Basic Mineralogy - Test 2 - Answers - 03.11.2022

The document is a test for a geology course on basic mineralogy. It contains 5 questions testing knowledge of ionic bonds, coordination numbers of cations, Pauling's rules for ionic structures, Bravais lattices, and rotation axes of the cubic crystal system.

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22 views5 pages

GEO 211 - Basic Mineralogy - Test 2 - Answers - 03.11.2022

The document is a test for a geology course on basic mineralogy. It contains 5 questions testing knowledge of ionic bonds, coordination numbers of cations, Pauling's rules for ionic structures, Bravais lattices, and rotation axes of the cubic crystal system.

Uploaded by

barekie86
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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GEO 211 – BASIC MINERALOGY

Answers - TEST 2

Department: Geology
Faculty: Science
Semester: Semester I (2022/2023)
Date: 03 November 2022
Time allowed: 02 Hours (From 15:00 to 17:00)
—————————————————————————————————————————
ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

QUESTION 1: (Total marks: 25)


(i) Using a clear sketch, describe how ionic bonds form. (Marks: 05)

Ionic bonds formed between atoms of very different electronegativity. The less
electronegative atom completely donates one or more electron to the more
electronegative atom as shown in the above sketch. The resultant cations and anions are
held together by electrostatic attraction. Once these atoms become positively and
negatively charged, the force of attraction between these oppositely charged ions results
in an ionic bond.

(ii) Provide five (05) different properties of minerals with ionic bonds. (Marks: 10)
Any five properties of the following.
1. Tend to form crystals with high symmetry.
2. Moderate and variable hardness
3. Brittle at room temperature
4. Quite soluble in polar solvents like water
5. Intermediate-high melting temperatures
6. Generally poor conductors of heat and electricity
7. Do not absorb much light, producing translucent and transparent minerals with light
colours and vitreous to sub-vitreous lustre.

(iii) What kind of bonds would you expect in the following minerals? (Marks: 10)
(a) Native gold – Metallic bond
(b) Pyrite – Covalent and Metallic bonds
(c) Galena – Metallic and ionic bonds
(d) Graphite – Covalent bonds and Van der Vaal bonds
(e) Diamond – Covalent bonds
2

QUESTION 2: (Total marks: 15)


(i) What is meant by coordination number of a cation? (Marks: 03)
Coordination number of a cation is the number of closest neighbour anions that
surround the cation.

(ii) Why is the coordination number of a cation important? (Marks: 03)


The coordination number of a cation is important for determining the number of anions
that can be coordinated to the cation as well as the shape of the coordination polyhedron
when the cation coordinates or joins with anions to form crystals. It is also important for
estimating bond strength or electrostatic valency.

(iii) How does one determine the coordination number of a cation? (Marks: 03)
The coordination number of a cation can be determined by calculating the cation-anion
radius ratio (Rc/Ra).

(iv) If the effective ionic radii of a cation (A+) and an anion (B-) are 1.16Å and 1.67Å
respectively, what is the coordination number (C.N.) of the cation? (Marks: 04)
(Use the following Table 1 for answering this question).
Table 1.
Radius Ratio <0.155 0.155-0.225 0.225-0.414 0.414-0.732 0.732-1.0 >1.0
C.N. II III IV VI VIII XII

The ionic radius of the cation (A+)= 1.16Å


The ionic radius of the anion (B-) = 1.67Å
The cation-anion radius ratio (Rc/Ra)
= 1.16Å/1.67Å
= 0.695
Therefore, the coordination number = VI

(vi) What would be the possible crystal system, if both the above ions make a mineral?
Cubic or isometric system. (Marks: 02)

QUESTION 3: (Total marks: 15)


(i) What are the Paulin’s rules for ionic structures? (Marks: 05)
1. The coordination principle
2. The electrostatic valency principle
3. Sharing of polyhedral elements I
4. Sharing of polyhedral elements II
5. The principle of parsimony

(ii) Based on what, do you determine the geometry of coordinating polyhedral? (Marks: 03)
The cation-anion radius ratio (Rc/Ra) determines the shape of the coordinated
polyhedron of anions.

(iii) How do you determine the strength of bonds in ionic structures? (Marks: 03)
According to the Pauling’s second rule, the strength of a bond (or electrostatic valency)
can be calculated by dividing the charge (Z) (or valence) of an ion by its coordination
number (CN).

(vi) What are the geometries of the polyhedra for the coordination numbers
IV, VI, VIII and XII? (Marks: 04)
Coordination number IV Tetrahedron
Coordination number VI Octahedron
Coordination number VIII Cube
Coordination number XII Dodecahedron
3

QUESTION 4: (Total marks: 20)


Using clear sketches, discuss the Bravais lattices of the following crystal systems.
(a) Cubic systems.
The cubic system has three different Bravais lattices. These are simple cube (primitive
unit cell), body-centred cube and face-centred cube as shown below. (02 marks)

(b) Tetragonal system.


The tetragonal system has two different Bravais lattices. These are simple tetragonal unit
cell (primitive unit cell) and body-centred tetragonal unit cell as shown below. (02 marks)
4

QUESTION 5: (Total marks: 25)


Using separate sketches show all the rotation axes of the cubic system. (Marks: 25)
Cubic system crystals have the following rotation axes
(i) Three four-fold rotation axes
(ii) Four three-fold rotation axes
(iii) six two-fold rotation axes

(i) Three four-fold rotation axes

(ii) Four three-fold rotation axes


5

(iii) six two-fold rotation axes

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