Minerals Study Guide

Which is NOT one of the 5 characteristics of every mineral?

• Crystal Structure

• Definite Chemical Composition

• Metallic Luster

• Naturally Occurring

The hardest known mineral is ________________.

• Gold

• Pyrite

• Diamond

• Talc

The color of a mineral's powder is called ________.

• Streak

• Luster

• Cleavage

• Fracture

What term describes how light is reflected from a mineral’s surface?

• Illuminance

• Luster

• Streak

• Glow

The softest mineral on the Mohs hardness scale is _______________.

• Quartz

• Talc

• Gypsum

The scale used to identify the hardness of a mineral is called the ______________ ________________ Scale .

• Mineral Toughness

• Gold Standard

• Mohs Hardness

The regular, repeating pattern of atoms that make up a mineral

• Fracture

• Crystal Structure

• Compound

• Cleavage

_________ describes how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way

• Fracture

• Cleavage

• Luster

• Streak

Most minerals are _____________, more than one element bonded together

• Compounds

• Pure Elements

• Covalent

Which is the least reliable way to identify a mineral?

• Streak

• Color

• Luster

• Hardness