Mineral Identification

Front

What is the definition of a mineral?

Back

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

Front

What is the term for a mineral's resistance to being scratched?

Back

Hardness.

Front

Which test is considered unreliable for identifying minerals?

Back

Color.

Front

What does the term 'cleavage' refer to in mineral identification?

Back

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

Front

What does 'fracture' mean in the context of minerals?

Back

Fracture refers to the breakage of a mineral along rough or jagged edges.

Front

What is luster in mineral identification?

Back

Luster describes how a mineral reflects light, which can be metallic, glassy, dull, etc.

Front

What is the significance of specific gravity in mineral identification?

Back

Specific gravity is a measure of the density of a mineral compared to the density of water, helping to identify minerals.

Front

What is the primary characteristic that defines a mineral?

Back

A mineral must be a solid.

Front

What natural processes can form minerals?

Back

Minerals can form through processes such as crystallization from magma, precipitation from solutions, and metamorphism.

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).