Minerals

Front

What is cleavage in minerals?

Back

Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along smooth, flat surfaces.

Front

What is hardness in minerals?

Back

Hardness is a mineral's resistance to being scratched.

Front

Can a penny scratch fluorite?

Back

No, a penny cannot scratch fluorite.

Front

What are the two types of luster?

Back

The two types of luster are Metallic and Nonmetallic.

Front

What are the characteristics of a mineral?

Back

A mineral has a definite chemical composition, crystal structure, and is naturally occurring.

Front

What is the definition of a mineral?

Back

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

Front

What is the difference between cleavage and fracture?

Back

Cleavage is the smooth breakage along flat surfaces, while fracture is the irregular breakage of a mineral.

Front

What is streak in minerals?

Back

Streak is the color of the powder left when a mineral is scraped across a surface.

Front

What is luster in minerals?

Back

Luster describes how light reflects off the surface of a mineral.

Front

What is the Mohs scale?

Back

The Mohs scale is a scale that ranks minerals based on their hardness from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).