Minerals

Which description best summarizes the quality of pearly luster?

• brilliant shine

• opaque reflections

• iridescent reflection

• glassy reflections

Which statement best compares two of the identifying properties of minerals?

• Color is more reliable indicator of a mineral's identity than streak

• Color is a more reliable indicator of a mineral's identity than hardness

• Streak is a more reliable indicator of a mineral's identity than color

• Streak is a more reliable indicator of a mineral's identity than hardness

Calcite has a unique property of splitting a light beam and producing two images. What is this property called?

• flourescence

• chatoyancy

• phosphoresence

• double refraction

A student observes a mineral with the following properties. It has cubic structure, metallic luster, red streak, and high specific gravity, and it scores a 7 on the Mohs scale. The student identifies this mineral as galena. Explain why this identification is incorrect.

• Galena is one of the softest minerals

• Galena breaks along a non-cleavage plane

• When crushed, galena produces a gray powder

• Galena is transparent, producing a brilliant shine when exposed to light

In the lab, a student examines a mineral that does not reflect light. What type of luster does the mineral have?

• dull

• waxy

• adamantine

• vitreous

Which series shows three minerals arranged according to the Mohs scale of hardness, from softest to hardest

• diamond > quartz > talc

• quartz > diamond > talc

• quartz > talc > diamond

• talc > quartz > diamond

Which of the following characteristics is not used to identify minerals?

• luster

• hardness

• crystal size

• fracture

Which mineral scores the highest, with a 10, on the Mohs scale of hardness?

• corundum

• talc

• quartz

• diamond

Revise the following characteristics to correctly describe muscovite:

Hardness: 6

Luster: vitreous

Color: white/gray

Cleavage: perfect

• hardness 6

• hardness 2

• luster: adamantine

• luster: waxy

What property does an uneven distribution of iron ions impart to minerals?

• high specific gravity

• flourescence

• magnetism

• chatoyancy