Minerals

Minerals

What is a mineral?

Solid

Cannot be a liquid or gas

Naturally Occurring

Found in nature, not man made

Inorganic

Is not alive and never was, non-living

Definite Chemical Composition

Has a chemical formula, most are formed from compounds of 2 or more elements, some minerals consist of one element

Crystal form

A definite structure in which atoms are arranged

Multiple Choice

What are the 5 characteristics of a mineral?

• naturally occurring, solid, organic, definite chemical composition, crystal form

• naturally occurring, solid, inorganic, mixture, crystal form

• solid, naturally occurring, inorganic, definite chemical composition, crystal form

• solid, manmade, inorganic, definite chemical composition, crystal form

Hardness

-Ability to resist scratching

-Moh's Hardness Scale

-Talc=1 (softest mineral)

-Diamond=10 (hardest mineral)

Multiple Choice

Refer to the Moh's Hardness Scale. A mineral with a hardness of 7 can scratch

• feldspar, but cannot scratch talc

• calcite, but cannot scratch apatite

• topaz, but cannot scratch fluorite

• gypsum, but cannot scratch corundum

Multiple Choice

Using the Moh's hardness scale answer the following question as true or false.

Apitite would scratch fluorite but not topaz

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Using the Moh's hardness scale answer the following question. A steel nail would scratch quartz.

• True

• False

Color

-Surface Color

-Not a good way to identify a mineral!

Multiple Choice

Why is color not a good way to identify a mineral?

• Minerals only come in one color

• Every mineral has its own unique color

• Many different mineral come in a variety of colors

Streak

Color of mineral's powder

Multiple Choice

When determining a minerals streak, what tool would you need?

• glass plate

• hydrochloric acid

• microscope

• unglazed ceramic tile

Luster

The way a mineral reflects light

Density

Mass in a given volume

Cleavage or Fracture

-Cleavage-breaks easily along flat surfaces

Fracture

Fracture-breaks along uneven surfaces (jagged edges)

Multiple Choice

Does #3 exhibit cleavage or fracture?

• Cleavage

• Fracture

Fluorescence

Glows under UV light

Magnetic

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? Salt

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? Plastic

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? Iceberg

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? Wood

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? Gold

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? coal

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Is it a mineral? Granite

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Why isn't granite a mineral?

• its manmade

• its a mixture

• it is not naturally occuring

• its organic

Multiple Choice

How light reflects off a mineral is called

• streak

• luster

• fracture

• color

Multiple Choice

The color of a mineral's powder is called the

• hardness

• density

• streak

• luster

Multiple Choice

Diamond has the hardness of _____ on Moh's hardness scale

• 1

• 5

• 10

• 100

Multiple Choice

How do you test the hardness of a mineral?

• Throwing it against the wall

• Step on it

• Scratch Test

• Streak plate

Multiple Choice

What is the softest mineral on Moh's scale?

• Gypsum

• Diamond

• Quartz

• Talc