Question

Choose the correct option to fill in the blank:

• A. Non-metallic
• B. Metallic
• C. Precious
• D. Energy

Hint:

Look at the example printed under the blank box. Ask whether that substance is a metal, and whether the option you pick would overlap with the two branches already shown.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept:

• Minerals are first divided into metallic and non-metallic groups, and the metallic group is then split into ferrous, non-ferrous and precious.
• The chart gives one example under each branch, so the example under the blank identifies the missing branch.

Step 1: Read the completed branches of the chart.
Under Ferrous the example given is cobalt, and under Non-Ferrous the example is lead. Both are metals, so these two branches belong to the metallic group.

Step 2: Read the example under the blank.
The example under the missing branch is sulphur. Sulphur is not a metal at all.

Step 3: Decide which branch sulphur belongs to.
Mica, salt, potash, sulphur, granite, limestone, marble and sandstone are the important non-metallic minerals. So the branch containing sulphur has to be the non-metallic one.

Step 4: Test the remaining options.
Metallic cannot be right, because ferrous and non-ferrous are already shown as separate branches and sulphur is not a metal. Precious refers to gold, silver and platinum, which are metals. Energy minerals are coal, petroleum and natural gas, and sulphur is none of these.

Final Answer: (A) Non-metallic