Identifying Minerals

Front

What state of matter are all minerals?

Back

Solid

Front

Which of the following must be true for a substance to be considered a mineral?

Back

It must be inorganic.

Front

What mineral property is being shown when a mineral leaves a colored mark on a surface?

Back

Streak

Front

What does it mean to be a solid?

Back

Has a definite shape and volume.

Front

What is the ability of a mineral to resist scratching called?

Back

Hardness.

Front

What is luster in terms of mineral properties?

Back

Luster refers to how a mineral reflects light.

Front

What is cleavage in mineralogy?

Back

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

Front

What is the difference between a mineral and a rock?

Back

A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition, while a rock is a solid aggregate of one or more minerals.

Front

What is the Mohs scale?

Back

The Mohs scale is a scale used to measure the hardness of minerals.

Front

What does it mean if a mineral is described as 'glassy'?

Back

It means the mineral has a shiny, glass-like appearance.