Rocks and Minerals

What are the five properties used to identify minerals?

• temperature, magnetism, age, location, and origin

• color, luster, hardness, cleavage, and specific gravity

• smell, taste, sound, flexibility, and conductivity

• shape, size, weight, texture, and transparency

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

What is the difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals?

• Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break unevenly, while fracture is the tendency of a mineral to break along smooth, flat surfaces.

• Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along smooth, flat surfaces, while fracture is the tendency of a mineral to break unevenly, often with rough or jagged edges.

• Cleavage only occurs in organic minerals, while fracture only occurs in inorganic minerals.

• Cleavage and fracture are the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

What is the luster of a mineral?

• The luster of a mineral is its hardness

• The luster of a mineral is its color

• The luster of a mineral is its weight

• The luster of a mineral is the way light interacts with its surface.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

What is the difference between a rock and a mineral?

• A rock is made up of one or more minerals, while a mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and a crystalline structure.

• Rocks are always man-made

• A mineral is a type of rock

• A rock is a type of mineral

rocks form from the cooling and hardening of molten magma.

• Igneous

• Metamorphic

What is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale?

• Gypsum

• Talc

• Diamond

• Quartz

What is the streak of a mineral?

• The streak of a mineral is the sound it makes when struck with a hammer.

• The streak of a mineral is the color of the powder it leaves when scratched against a hard surface.

• The streak of a mineral is the temperature at which it melts.

• The streak of a mineral is the number of layers it has.

What is the specific gravity of a mineral?

• The specific gravity of a mineral is the weight of the mineral in comparison to other minerals

• The specific gravity of a mineral is the measure of its hardness

• The specific gravity of a mineral is the amount of light it reflects

• The specific gravity of a mineral is the ratio of the density of the mineral to the density of water.

What is the most common mineral group on Earth?

• Oxide minerals

• Carbonate minerals

• Silicate minerals

• Sulfide minerals

How do geologists identify minerals in the field?

• By smelling the minerals

• By using physical and chemical properties

• By listening to the minerals

• By tasting the minerals