Classification of crystals into systems and classes of symmetry

&
International system of crystallographic notation

1) Write symmetry elements shown by normal class in isometric system and that of
orthorhombic system. Briefly write on the international system of crystallographic
notation
2) Write briefly about the isometric system, and enlist four mineral examples with
chemical composition for each.
3) Describe the symmetry elements and unit forms of the normal class of Tetragonal
system. Mention the names of common minerals that crystallize in this class
4) Discuss the plane of symmetry in Rotation, Translation, Reflection and Glide
Reflection with neat sketches.
5) Describe the optical and crystallographic properties by which an isometric mineral
can be distinguished from minerals of all other crystal systems.
6) Describe the symmetry elements and unit form of the normal class of cubic system.
Mention the names of common minerals that crystallize in this class
7) Symmetry classes of Monoclinic System
8) 4/m 2/m 2/m
9) Give an account of elements of symmetry that help to derive all the thirty-two
classes of crystal systems
10)Symmetry classes of Tetragonal system
11)Miller indices and parameters
12)4 3 m
13)Crystal defects
14)International systems of crystallographic notation
15)Hexagonal system and its symmetry classes
16)Explain the derivation of 32 classes of crystal symmetry.
17)In about 200 words, explain Crystallographic axes
18)With neat sketches describe the symmetry elements and forms of the normal class
of the orthorhombic system. Name three minerals of this class
19)Symmetry of isometric System with forms and examples
20)Explain differences in the elements of symmetry of holohedral classes of the
Tetragonal and Orthorhombic systems
21)Monoclinic Crystal Symmetry
22)Space-lattices
23)Olivine crystallizes in space group Pbnm. What crystallographic information do you
derive from this space group symbol? How does olivine in a mid-oceanicridge basalt
alter? Mineral formula of an olivine is given below. Express this in end-member
composition:
Fe20+.1 6 Fe30+.0 4M . g-.1 .80S *10-96 Al0.4 04
24)Describe the symmetry elements classes and forms of orthorhombic system and
give four examples of mineral belonging to this system.
 Use of projection diagrams to represent crystal symmetry

1. Projection diagram for crystal system

2. Stereographic projection and its use in crystallography
3. Use of projection diagrams to represent crystal symmetry.
4. How are the projection diagrams used to represent crystal symmetry
5. Write on the principle of stereographic projection of crystals. Draw a sketch
of the stereogram of a tetragonal crystal
6. Discuss in brief: angles, axis, faces and type of lattice defects using
stereographic prdjections in crystal system.
7.
 Elements of X-ray crystallography

1. Discuss how X-ray diffraction patterns are used for identification of minerals.
2. Explain the importance of X-ray diffraction in understanding crystal structures.
3. Describe application of XRD technique in understanding crystal structure.
4. Crystal defects and x-ray crystallography
5. Derive Bragg's law for X-ray diffraction. Calculate the inter-planar spacing in a
crystal for a plane that gives a sharp reflection at 2fJ= 50° for CuK radiation (ll =
1·5418 A) in a powder X-ray diffraction experiment.
6. Draw qualitative Laue diffractograms taken with X-ray beam parallel to c-axis of
a tetragonal and an orthorhombic mineral
Physical and chemical characters of rock forming silicate mineral groups

1. Discuss in short the Mohr’s scale of hardness, listing the designated minerals of
the scale. Is diamond ten times harder than talc? Justify your answer.
2. Write about the parameters affecting the specific gravity of minerals. Does
specific gravity help mineral identification? Give examples.
3. Piezoelectricity
4. Twinkling
5. What are the factors responsible for the following properties of minerals ?
(i) colour
(ii) lustre
(iii) specific gravity
(iv) hardness
6. Pseudo-morphism
7. Chatoyancy and asterism
8. Write an account of structural classification of Silicates. Discuss in detail
physical properties and give chemical composition of five common rock
forming minerals belonging to Amphibole Group. Add a note on their mode of
occurrence
9. Cleavage and external crystal form
10. Colour and streak of a mineral
11. Isomorphism and isomorphous mixture, examples
12. Polymorphism
13. Isotropism
 Structural classification of silicates

1. Describe the structural classification of silicates with neat sketches and

suitable examples.
2. What is the fundamental unit of silicate structure? Discuss and classify
different types of silicate structures.
3. Define Inosilicates. Giving their general characters, describe the minerals of
pyroxene Group
4. Explain Nesosilicates. Write about one the minerals that belong to this group,
general chemical formula, diagnostic chemical properties and mode of
occurrences
5. What are tectosilicates? Describe the minerals of feldspar group giving their
chemical composition physical properties and occurrence
 Common minerals of igneous and metamorphic rocks

Minerals of the carbonate

Phosphate

Sulfide

Halide groups

Clay minerals

1. Briefly describe the minerals that belong to the mica group stating the
diagnostic physical and optical properties of each of them. Add a note on
their mode of occurrence and common associations citing Indian examples.
2. Bring out the general diagnostic physical and optical properties of the
feldspar group of silicate minerals.
3. Based on mineralogy, distinguish basic and ultrabasic rocks
4. Chemical and optical properties of amphiboles
5. Chemical and optical properties of Felspathoid group minerals
6. Olivine series
7. Enumerate the Pyroxene group of minerals with their general chemical
compositions and describe briefly the diagnostic optical properties of
clinopyroxenes
8. Chemical compositions and optical and physical properties of Mica group of
Minerals
9. Amphibole group of minerals
10. Name and composition of two minerals from the groups of carbonate,
phosphate, oxide, sulfide and halide
11. Chemical composition and Physical properties of five sulfide ore minerals
12. Give an account of the physical, chemical and optical properties of the
Feldspar group of minerals with special emphasis on their variations with
chemical compositions.
13. Give the physical properties, chemical composition and use of ‘Feldspars’
14. Describe pyroxene group of minerals and their alteration products.
15. Give an account of Physical Chemical and Optical properties of the mica
group of minerals. Add a note on their uses and products of alteration.
16. Describe Amphiboles. Add a note on their occurrence and alteration.
17. Taking plagioclase feldspars as an example, illustrate the phenomenon of
solid solution.
18. Structure of Amphibole group of minerals
19. Plagioclase feldspars and their alteration products.
20. Describe Garnet group of minerals
21. Give the chemical composition and optical properties of Felspathoid group
of minerals.
22. What do you understand by terms like calcic pyroxenes, Mg-Fe
pyroxenes, and sodic pyroxenes? Name one mineral in each category,
giving its physical and optical properties
23. Give the general chemical composition, physical properties and occurrence
of sulfide group of minerals
24. Give the chemical composition and optical properties of Amphihole group
of minerals. Add a note on their classification
25. Give an account of the atomic structure, chemical composition, and physical
and optical properties of the minerals of mica group.
26. Discuss the basic differences in the crystal structures, physical and
properties of pyroxene and amphibole
27. Give an account of the crystal structure, chemical composition and optical
properties of the minerals of the feldspar group
28. Physical and Optical properties and Chemical composition of alkali
pyroxenes
29. Give an account of the physical, chemical and optical properties of
pyroxene group of minerals.
30. Explain how on the bases of chemistry and optical properties, the various
feldspars differ from one another.
31. Give an account of the physical, chemical and optical properties of the
amphibole group of minerals with special emphasis on their mode, of
occurrence.
32.
 Optical properties of common rock forming minerals

1. What are the two crystal-systems in which Mg-Fe and Ca-pyroxene

crystallize? How do these two types of pyroxene be distinguished based on
their optical properties
2. Explain in brief the optical properties of minerals in thin sections that can be
studied under transmitted light using a petrological microscope.
3. Pleochroism and extinction angles in the amphibole group of minerals
4. Distinguish between uniaxial and biaxial minerals.
5. Optical accessories and their utility
6. Define dispersion and describe types of dispersion displayed by crystals of
monoclinic system with neat sketches
7. Uniaxial and Biaxial minerals
8. Optical extinction and dispersion
9. Optical indicatrices
10. Optical accessories
11. What are interference colors? How are they produced in minerals? Explain.
12. Biaxial indicatrix
13. Pleochroism
14. Dispersion in minerals
15. Describe the optic principle of anisotropism and give an account of the
optical expression
16. of this process in natural minerals.
17. Quartz Wedge and its applications
18. Angle of extinction
19. Optic-orientation in crystals
20. What are Interference Figures? Describe them.
21. Describe optical indicatrix. How would you optically differentiate between
uniaxial and biaxial minerals?
22. Describe the construction and uses of a Nicol Prism.
23. Indicatrix
24. Summarize the behaviour of light in biaxial crystals.
25. What are optical accessories? How are they useful? Describe the construction
of any one you know
26. Uniaxial and Biaxial Indicatrix
27. Double refraction and birefringence
28. In a mineral, the refractive indices are determined as ro = 1·548 and l; =
1·634. Calculate the birefringence of the mineral and comment on its optic
nature.
29. A mineral section remains dark in all pos itions under crossed polars. How
would you proceed to determine whether the mineral is (i) isotropic, (ii)
uniaxial or (iii) biaxial.?
30. With theoretical details, discuss (i) optical indicatrix, and (ii) determination
of sign of elongation of
31. uniaxial minerals
32. Optical indicatrix of uniaxial and biaxial minerals, and how it helps
determining the optically positive and negative crystals
33. With a suitable diagram, explain how the optic sign of a uniaxial mineral is
determined
34. Explain why all quartz grains in a rock section do not show first order yellow
interference colour when viewed under crossed polars
35. Discuss briefly on the construction ofNicol prism. Why it is necessary to cut
and recement the calcite crystal in the classification ofNicol prism ?
36. A mineral section remains dark in all positions under crossed polars. how it
is possible and how will you proceed to determine the optic sign of the
mineral, if applicable.
37. Acute bisectrix interference figure of a biaxial Crystal
38. Show how you determine the pleochroic scheme of a biaxial mineral
39. Determination of optic sign of biaxial minerals
40. Distinguish andesite from dolerite by studies in thin sections
41. How can 'hornblende' and 'augite' be distinguished based on their optical
Properties? Write the names of any three sulphide minerals and two
parbonate minerals (with their chemical compositions).
42. Becke's effect and Birefringence.
 Pleochroism | birefringence | Double refraction

1. Pleochroism
2. Pleochroism and its determination
3. What is the difference between pleochroic and interference colors? Explain how
these colors are produced in minerals.
4. Pleochroism in minerals of pyroxene and amphibole groups
5. Explain why all pleochroic minerals are anisotropic but all anisotropic minerals are
not pleochroic.
6. With suitable examples, discuss the causes behind and effects of (i) Pleochroism (ii)
birefringence in minerals.
7. What is Pleochroism? Explain why a section of Biotite cut parallel to cleavage does
not show any Pleochroism but when it is cut oblique to cleavage shows Pleochroism.
8. What do you mean by extinction angles of minerals? Give your answer with suitable
sketches. What are the petrographic changes that take place when a basaltic magma
assimilates a granite country rock?

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 Twinning and dispersion in minerals

1. Enumerate any two types of twinning in minerals with neat sketches and
examples.
2. Distinguish between Carlsbad twins and Polysynthetic twins in feldspars.
3. Write a note on twinning and its various types that are generally observed in
the minerals.
4. Describe various types of twinning in minerals. Comment upon causes of
twinning
5. Twinning in feldspars
6. Distinguish between twinning and parting in minerals
7. Describe the term twinning of minerals. Explain the following twin laws in
detail, with suitable sketches. Carlsbad , baveno, polysynthetic and Manebach
8. Twin laws and twinning in feldspars
9. Types of twinning laws applicable to feldspar and determination of Ab : An
ratio