Minerals Quiz

Recall the definition of a mineral.

• A natural substance with a crystal structure

• A substance with no crystal structure

Explain why you can't assume two similar-looking samples are different minerals.

• They may have the same color and be the same mineral

• They may have different colors due to impurities and be different minerals

Explain why a gold miner can't use color alone to identify gold in the field.

• Gold can have different colors and fool's gold can have the same color as real gold

• Fool's gold can have the same color as real gold

Determine the hardness of the mineral that can be scratched by a copper coin but not by your fingernail.

• Greater than 3.5

• Less than 2.5

Determine the correct order of the minerals from softest to hardest.

• Feldspar, calcite, muscovite

• Feldspar, muscovite, calcite

Describe what the Mohs Hardness Scale is used for.

• To measure the hardness of minerals

• To measure the luster of minerals

Identify the lustre of the gold nugget.

• Dull

• Metallic

Select which item geologists use to test a mineral's streak.

• Quartz

• White ceramic plate

Recall what a mineral's streak is.

• The hardness of the mineral

• The color of the trail of powder left behind by the mineral

Explain why we can't assume that haematite has a dark grey streak.

• It may not have a streak at all

• It may have a different color streak when ground into powder