Properties of Minerals

Front

What are the properties used to identify minerals?

Back

The main properties used to identify minerals include streak, luster, hardness, and cleavage.

Front

Which property of a mineral describes how it reflects light?

Back

Luster describes how a mineral reflects light.

Front

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

Back

Hardness is the term for a mineral's resistance to being scratched.

Front

What does the term 'cleavage' refer to in minerals?

Back

Cleavage refers to the splitting of a mineral along smooth, flat surfaces.

Front

What is the softest mineral on Moh's Hardness Scale?

Back

Talc is the softest mineral on Moh's Hardness Scale.

Front

What is the main ingredient in baby powder?

Back

Talc is the main ingredient in baby powder.

Front

How do you test the hardness of a mineral?

Back

The hardness of a mineral is tested using the Scratch Test.

Front

What is the difference between 'fracture' and 'cleavage' in minerals?

Back

Fracture refers to the way a mineral breaks irregularly, while cleavage refers to the smooth, flat surfaces along which a mineral can split.

Front

What is 'streak' in mineral identification?

Back

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

Front

What is the Moh's Hardness Scale?

Back

The Moh's Hardness Scale is a scale that ranks minerals based on their hardness from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).