Properties of Minerals

Front

What is the term for when a mineral splits along flat surfaces?

Back

Cleavage

Front

Define a compound in the context of minerals.

Back

A compound is two or more elements chemically joined.

Front

What do you observe to determine the number and angle of crystal faces in a mineral?

Back

Crystal structure or shape.

Front

What is a mineral?

Back

A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition.

Front

Which property of minerals is represented by the ability to split along flat surfaces?

Back

Cleavage.

Front

What is the difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals?

Back

Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat surfaces, while fracture is the way a mineral breaks in an irregular manner.

Front

What is the significance of a mineral's hardness?

Back

Hardness measures a mineral's resistance to scratching and is an important property for identification.

Front

How is the streak of a mineral determined?

Back

The streak is determined by rubbing the mineral on a porcelain plate to observe the color of its powder.

Front

What is the Mohs scale of hardness?

Back

The Mohs scale is a scale from 1 to 10 used to rank minerals based on their hardness, with talc at 1 and diamond at 10.

Front

What does the term 'luster' refer to in mineralogy?

Back

Luster describes the way light reflects off the surface of a mineral, indicating its appearance.