Please help!
Which statement is not an example of a way a mineral can form?

A.
Scientists grow a diamond under laboratory conditions.

B.
A tourmaline crystal forms from magma cooling very slowly underground.
C.
Pressure underground causes particles in rock to reorganize, forming garnet.

D.
Dissolved substances crystallize on the bottom of a lake as dolomite.
To determine which statement is not an example of a way a mineral can form, we need to understand how minerals form and then analyze each statement accordingly.
Minerals can form in various ways. Here are the three main processes of mineral formation:
1. Crystallization from Magma: When molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, minerals crystallize out of it as it hardens. This process occurs primarily underground.
2. Precipitation from Solution: Minerals can form when dissolved substances in water, such as salt or calcite, separate from the solution and crystallize. This often happens in lakes, oceans, or other bodies of water.
3. Metamorphism: Under high temperature and pressure conditions, minerals can form by recrystallization of existing minerals within rocks. This process occurs during metamorphism, which usually takes place deep below the Earth's surface.
Now, let's analyze each statement:
A. Scientists grow a diamond under laboratory conditions.
Explanation: This statement refers to the process of synthesizing a diamond in a controlled laboratory environment. While most diamonds occur naturally, it is possible to create diamonds artificially using high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques. Therefore, this statement represents a legitimate way a mineral can form—by chemical synthesis.
B. A tourmaline crystal forms from magma cooling very slowly underground.
Explanation: This statement aligns with the process of crystallization from magma. When magma cools slowly underground, minerals like tourmaline can form as the atoms arrange themselves into a crystal lattice. This process is a valid example of mineral formation.
C. Pressure underground causes particles in rock to reorganize, forming garnet.
Explanation: This statement describes the process of metamorphism, where pressure and temperature changes cause the atoms in a rock to rearrange, resulting in the formation of new minerals. Garnet is a common mineral that can form during metamorphism, so this statement correctly represents a way a mineral can form.
D. Dissolved substances crystallize on the bottom of a lake as dolomite.
Explanation: This statement refers to the process of precipitation from solution. When dissolved substances in water, such as in a lake, become supersaturated, they crystallize and form minerals like dolomite. Thus, this statement also represents a valid way a mineral can form.
After analyzing all the statements, we can see that all of them are examples of ways minerals can form. Therefore, there is no statement that is not an example of a way a mineral can form in this context.