Mineral Characteristics and Classification

All minerals are _____.

• transparent crystals

• organic

• naturally occurring

• all of the above

A student says a rock is just another name for a mineral. Is the student correct?

• yes, rocks are the same as minerals, and there is only one main type

• no, minerals are made from rocks, and some minerals are made of many rocks

• no, rocks are made from minerals, but some rocks are made of just one mineral

• yes, rocks are the larger version of a mineral

How do you distinguish a rock from a mineral?

• rocks are always bigger than minerals

• minerals are usually made of small rocks that bind together

• rocks can always be identified by their shape; minerals can not

• minerals are made of elements that form crystals and rocks are made of one or more minerals

Minerals are described by their _____.

• chemical composition

• physical characteristics

• both A and B

• neither A nor B

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

Which of the following are the best characteristics to use to identify different minerals?

• size, color, streak, and crystal shape

• cleavage, weight, hardness, and specific gravity

• color, texture, weight, and streak

• hardness, luster, density, and streak

Which property are you testing for when you powder a mineral on an unglazed porcelain plate?

• Color

• Luster

• Streak

• Hardness

True or False: The chemical properties of a mineral determine the mineral's physical properties.

• True

• False

Which best describes the arrangement of atoms in a mineral?

• weakly bonded

• arranged in regular, repeating patterns

• arranged from most dense to least dense

• random

Which mineral property is determined by chemical composition?

• color

• hardness

• crystal form

• all of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

When a mineral breaks along a smooth, flat surface it is said to have _____.

• Crystal shape

• Cleavage

• Fracture

• Hardness