Identifying Minerals

Front

What is a mineral?

Back

A mineral is a naturally occurring solid substance with a definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure.

Front

What state of matter are all minerals?

Back

Solid

Front

What is the property of a mineral that describes how it reflects light?

Back

Luster

Front

What is the hardness of a mineral measured on?

Back

A scale of 1 to 10.

Front

Which property is NOT very useful in identifying a mineral?

Back

Color

Front

What is a streak test?

Back

A test that shows a mineral's true color.

Front

What does the term 'cleavage' refer to in minerals?

Back

Cleavage refers to the way a mineral breaks along specific planes.

Front

What is the difference between luster and streak?

Back

Luster describes how a mineral reflects light, while streak is the color of the powder left when a mineral is scratched on a surface.

Front

What is the Mohs scale?

Back

The Mohs scale is a scale used to measure the hardness of minerals, ranging from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).

Front

What is the significance of a mineral's color?

Back

Color can help identify a mineral, but it is not always reliable due to impurities.