Geochemistry (correct answers)
Siderophile Elements correct answers "Iron loving" elements, dissolve readily in iron
either as solid solution or molten state
Lithophile elements correct answers "Rock loving" elements, combine readily with
oxygen forming compounds that do not sink into the core.
Chalcophile elements correct answers "Ore loving" elements, combine readily with
sulfur and/or other chalcogen other than oxygen.
Atmophile elements correct answers "Volatile elements", H, C, N, noble gases, occur in
liquids or gases at temperatures and pressures found on or above the earth's surface
What is the composition of Bulk Earth? correct answers C1 carbonaceous chondrites
minus some volatile elements
Refractory elements correct answers Any element that has a relatively high equilibrium
condensation temperature ie silicates and metals (the opposite of volatile elements)
Composition of the core correct answers Iron and Nickel plus other siderophile elements
Composition of primitive mantle correct answers High in Magnesium and Iron. Lithophile
elements left behind from the formation of the core. Bulk Earth minus the core.
Loss of volatile elements during the accretion of the Earth increased the concentration
of refractory elements by how much? correct answers X1.5
Extraction of the core from Bulk Earth increased the concentration of refractory
lithophile elements by how much? correct answers X2.0
Describe in order the steps believed to have taken place to form the crust? correct
answers - First crust: oceanic crust
- Reprocessing and further additions of basalts in the oceanic crust to create the
continental crust
Percentage of the earth that is mantle? correct answers 68%
How is the composition of the solar nebula estimated? correct answers Spectral
analysis of the sun and direct analysis of the Type 1 Carbonaceous chondrites
What impact did the extraction of the Earth crust have of the composition of the mantle?
correct answers Major elements: Very little because the Earth's crust only accounts for
1% of its volume.
, Minor elements: Large effect because LILEs in particular have efficiently transferred
from at least the upper mantle into the continental crust.
How do we know when the core stopped forming? correct answers Analysis of
Lithophile/Siderophile proportions in basalts over time shows a consistent ratio early on
in Earth's history. Ie siderophile elements stopped fractionating into the core when the
ratio become consistent.
What does LILE stand for and name 4? correct answers Large Iron Lithophile Elements
Potassium, Rubidium, Strontium, Barium, Caesium
What does REE stand for and name 4? correct answers Rare Earth Elements
Lanthanum, Cerium, Yttrium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Terbium,
Lutetium, Scandium
Which REE doesn't exist naturally? correct answers Promethium
What are HFSE? correct answers High Field Strength Elements (small but high in
charges)
Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Hf, Ta
Which elements are not "happy" in the mantle? correct answers LILE, so are stored in
the buoyant continental crust.
What are the two key controls whether an element is consider compatible with another?
correct answers Ion radius (does the trace element form an ion of similar size to the
major element?)
Valence (does the trace element for an ion with the same charge as the major
element?)
What dictates the chemical behaviour of elements ( e.g. partitioning into minerals,
segregation into parts of the planet)? correct answers The electrons in the outmost shell
Which part of an atom contains most of its mass? correct answers The nucleus
(electrons have very little mass)
Nucleus generally consist of: correct answers Protons and neutrons
What are isotopes? correct answers Atoms of the same element but with different
number of neutrons (same number of protons)
Are isotopes chemically identical? correct answers Yes (as they are the same element
and the electrons are not altered)
The stability of a nuclide is favoured by: correct answers - roughly equal numbers of
protons and neutrons
Siderophile Elements correct answers "Iron loving" elements, dissolve readily in iron
either as solid solution or molten state
Lithophile elements correct answers "Rock loving" elements, combine readily with
oxygen forming compounds that do not sink into the core.
Chalcophile elements correct answers "Ore loving" elements, combine readily with
sulfur and/or other chalcogen other than oxygen.
Atmophile elements correct answers "Volatile elements", H, C, N, noble gases, occur in
liquids or gases at temperatures and pressures found on or above the earth's surface
What is the composition of Bulk Earth? correct answers C1 carbonaceous chondrites
minus some volatile elements
Refractory elements correct answers Any element that has a relatively high equilibrium
condensation temperature ie silicates and metals (the opposite of volatile elements)
Composition of the core correct answers Iron and Nickel plus other siderophile elements
Composition of primitive mantle correct answers High in Magnesium and Iron. Lithophile
elements left behind from the formation of the core. Bulk Earth minus the core.
Loss of volatile elements during the accretion of the Earth increased the concentration
of refractory elements by how much? correct answers X1.5
Extraction of the core from Bulk Earth increased the concentration of refractory
lithophile elements by how much? correct answers X2.0
Describe in order the steps believed to have taken place to form the crust? correct
answers - First crust: oceanic crust
- Reprocessing and further additions of basalts in the oceanic crust to create the
continental crust
Percentage of the earth that is mantle? correct answers 68%
How is the composition of the solar nebula estimated? correct answers Spectral
analysis of the sun and direct analysis of the Type 1 Carbonaceous chondrites
What impact did the extraction of the Earth crust have of the composition of the mantle?
correct answers Major elements: Very little because the Earth's crust only accounts for
1% of its volume.
, Minor elements: Large effect because LILEs in particular have efficiently transferred
from at least the upper mantle into the continental crust.
How do we know when the core stopped forming? correct answers Analysis of
Lithophile/Siderophile proportions in basalts over time shows a consistent ratio early on
in Earth's history. Ie siderophile elements stopped fractionating into the core when the
ratio become consistent.
What does LILE stand for and name 4? correct answers Large Iron Lithophile Elements
Potassium, Rubidium, Strontium, Barium, Caesium
What does REE stand for and name 4? correct answers Rare Earth Elements
Lanthanum, Cerium, Yttrium, Neodymium, Promethium, Samarium, Europium, Terbium,
Lutetium, Scandium
Which REE doesn't exist naturally? correct answers Promethium
What are HFSE? correct answers High Field Strength Elements (small but high in
charges)
Ti, Zr, V, Nb, Hf, Ta
Which elements are not "happy" in the mantle? correct answers LILE, so are stored in
the buoyant continental crust.
What are the two key controls whether an element is consider compatible with another?
correct answers Ion radius (does the trace element form an ion of similar size to the
major element?)
Valence (does the trace element for an ion with the same charge as the major
element?)
What dictates the chemical behaviour of elements ( e.g. partitioning into minerals,
segregation into parts of the planet)? correct answers The electrons in the outmost shell
Which part of an atom contains most of its mass? correct answers The nucleus
(electrons have very little mass)
Nucleus generally consist of: correct answers Protons and neutrons
What are isotopes? correct answers Atoms of the same element but with different
number of neutrons (same number of protons)
Are isotopes chemically identical? correct answers Yes (as they are the same element
and the electrons are not altered)
The stability of a nuclide is favoured by: correct answers - roughly equal numbers of
protons and neutrons
