Minerals

How are minerals identified?

• By finding the specific mass of the minerals

• By checking the chemical composition of the minerals

• By determining the magnetic properties of minerals

• By testing the luster, hardness, color, and streak of minerals.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

Which physical property of minerals requires no tools or other equipment to determine?

• Hardness

• Fracture

• Color

• Cleavage

In its powdered form, the mineral hematite is reddish. Which property of mineral is best described?

• Color

• Hardness

• Luster

• Streak

Miya found a necklace with a stone looked like a diamond. Her friend thought the stone was glass. Which test would best help Miya determine if the stone was a diamond or glass?

• Color

• Luster

• Streak

• Hardness

Calcite will scratch gypsum. What property of minerals is shown in this situation?

• Cleavage

• Hardness

• Streak

• Luster

All minerals share the following characteristics EXCEPT that of ________________.

• being solids

• having the atoms within the mineral arranged in a pattern

• being formed from living organisms

• being formed by natural resources

During the 1800’s, miners can identify real gold from pyrite through biting the surface of the mineral. If a bitemark is exhibited, then the said mineral is considered real gold. What property is tested in this scenario.

• Cleavage

• Luster

• Streak

• Hardness

What can you infer about graphite from the fact that you can scratch it with just your fingernail?

• It’s not very lustrous.

• It’s not very hard.

• Its streak is black-colored.

• It has a fracture.

One of the tests used to identify unknown mineral is the luster test. What does the luster test identify?

• Size

• Shape

• Ability to Float

• Ability to reflect light

What are the building blocks of rocks and it is mostly found in geosphere?

• Elements

• Minerals

• Ore

• Soil