Characteristics of Minerals Practice

What characteristics do all minerals have in common?

• A mineral is a synthetic, usually organic solid with an indefinite crystalline structure and chemical composition.

• A mineral is a natural, usually Inorganic solid with a definite crystalline structure and chemical composition.

• A mineral is anything having mass and volume

• Option 4

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

In what way(s) do minerals form?

• when magma/lava cools

• Minerals form from solutions in water.

• by heat and pressure within Earth through metamorphism

• All of the above

What are the differences between silicate and non-silicate minerals?

• Silicate minerals contain silicon-oxygen compounds. Non-silicate minerals don't.

• Non-silicate minerals contain silicon-oxygen compounds. Silicate minerals don't.

• The main classes of silicate minerals are carbonates, halides, native elements, oxides, sulfates, and sulfides.

• Option 4

What physical properties are used to identify minerals?

• color, streak, and luster

• hardness, fracture, and cleavage

• density

• all of the above

The color of the powdered form of a mineral is its

• luster

• streak

• color

• cleavage and fracture

The way a surface reflects light is its

• streak

• color

• luster

• cleavage and fracture

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

The tendency of a mineral to split along specific planes of weakness to form smooth, flat surfaces is called

• color

• streak

• luster

• cleavage

90% of all minerals found on Earth are classified as which group?

• silicate minerals

• non-silicate minerals

• Option 3

• Option 4