What is a mineral?

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What is a mineral?

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A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a definite crystalline structure.

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What characteristic of a mineral is least reliable for identification?

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Color is the least reliable characteristic for identifying a mineral.

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

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Hardness is a measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched, determined by the arrangement of its atoms.

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What is 'cleavage' in mineralogy?

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Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat, even surfaces.

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What is 'streak' in relation to minerals?

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

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What is 'luster' in minerals?

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Luster describes how light reflects off the surface of a mineral, indicating its shine.

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What is the Mohs scale?

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The Mohs scale is a scale used to measure the hardness of minerals, ranging from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).

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

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Fracture refers to the way a mineral breaks irregularly, while cleavage refers to breaking along specific planes.

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What is a 'crystal' in mineralogy?

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A crystal is a solid material whose atoms are arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern.

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What is the significance of a mineral's chemical composition?

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A mineral's chemical composition determines its properties and classification.