Question

Most soils are made up of nasty minerals such as montmorillonite, smectite, illite, saponite, etc. What sheet silicate family do those minerals belong to? What is one of the outstanding physical characteristics of the montmorillonite group of minerals?

Answer 1

The minerals mentioned belong to the sheet silicate family. Montmorillonite minerals have the ability to swell and shrink significantly in response to water.

Step-by-step explanation:

The minerals mentioned in the question belong to the sheet silicate family which is a type of silicate mineral. Silicates are the largest class of minerals and constitute approximately 30% of all minerals.

One of the outstanding physical characteristics of the montmorillonite group of minerals is their ability to swell and shrink significantly when exposed to water.