Properties of Minerals

Front

What is a mineral?

Back

A mineral is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a crystalline structure.

Front

True or False: A mineral is inorganic.

Back

True

Front

What property measures how much a mineral resists scratching?

Back

Hardness

Front

What is the hardest known mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale?

Back

Diamond

Front

What does the Mohs scale measure?

Back

Hardness

Front

What is the definition of 'inorganic'?

Back

Inorganic means not made from living organisms.

Front

What is a crystalline structure?

Back

A crystalline structure is a solid where the atoms are arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern.

Front

Name a property of minerals that describes how they reflect light.

Back

Luster

Front

What is the term for the way a mineral breaks along flat surfaces?

Back

Cleavage

Front

What is the term for the color of the powder left by a mineral when it is scratched on a surface?

Back

Streak