Identifying Minerals

Front

What is a mineral?

Back

A naturally formed solid substance with a crystal structure.

Front

What does 'luster' refer to in minerals?

Back

The way a mineral reflects light.

Front

What is 'cleavage' in terms of mineral properties?

Back

The way a mineral breaks into flat surfaces.

Front

What does 'hardness' mean when describing a mineral?

Back

A measure of how resistant a mineral is to scratching.

Front

What is 'fracture' in minerals?

Back

The way a mineral breaks unevenly or along curved surfaces.

Front

How can you test the luster of a mineral?

Back

By shining a light on the rock to see how the light reflects.

Front

What is the difference between cleavage and fracture?

Back

Cleavage is breaking along flat surfaces, while fracture is breaking unevenly.

Front

Can minerals be made from living things?

Back

No, minerals are naturally occurring and not formed from living organisms.

Front

What is an example of a mineral?

Back

Quartz, feldspar, and mica are examples of minerals.

Front

What is the Mohs scale?

Back

A scale that ranks minerals based on their hardness from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).