Rocks and Minerals Study Guide

True or False: To be classified as a mineral, a substance must be formed by processes in the natural world.

• True

• False

True or False: Color, luster, and density are the only properties used to identify individual minerals.

• True

• False

True or False: When studying a rock sample, geologists observe the rock's mineral composition, color, and texture.

• True

• False

True or False: A fingernail can scratch quartz.

• True

• False

Which of the following is a mineral?

• Quartz

• Brick

• Steel

• Glass

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a mineral?

• Inorganic

• Naturally Occuring

• Colorless

• Solid

The mineral property that means how light is reflected from the mineral's surface is:

• Streak

• Luster

• Fracture

• Cleavage

The mineral property that means the color of a mineral's powder is:

• streak

• luster

• fracture

• cleavage

Use the chart to answer the question. Which of the following is the hardest mineral in the table?

• apatite

• talc

• diamond

• quartz

Use the chart to answer the question. Which of the following is the softest mineral in the table?

• feldspar

• gypsum

• topaz

• talc