Minerals and Rocks Lesson 3

Front

What are some properties used to identify minerals?

Back

Color, streak, luster, hardness, cleavage, and specific gravity.

Front

What is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale?

Back

Talc.

Front

What is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale?

Back

Diamond.

Front

What is the only thing on earth that can scratch a diamond?

Back

Another diamond.

Front

What determines the color of a rock?

Back

The minerals present in the rock.

Front

What is luster in terms of minerals?

Back

Luster is the way a mineral shines or reflects light.

Front

What is the term for the resistance of a mineral to being scratched?

Back

Hardness.

Front

What scale is used to measure the hardness of minerals?

Back

Mohs scale.

Front

What is the difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals?

Back

Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat surfaces, while fracture is the way a mineral breaks unevenly.

Front

What is streak in mineral identification?

Back

Streak is the color of the powder left when a mineral is scraped across a surface.