Examining Properties of Minerals

The way in which a mineral reflects light is called

• color

• luster

• cleavage

• fracture

A mineral breaks into pieces like are shown in the picture. How would you describe its breakage?

• cleavage

• fracture

• glassy

• waxy

The ability of a mineral to resist scratching is called

• streak

• fracture

• hardness

• cleavage

Hardness is a property that helps identify minerals. Scientists use a scale of 1-10 to show the hardness of a mineral. What number would be given to the hardest?

• 1

• 10

• 5

• 7

Which mineral property is being shown here?

• luster

• cleavage

• streak

• fracture

If you look at a mineral and decide if it is metallic or nonmetallic, shiny, dull, glassy, how it reflects light -you are looking at its __________.

• luster

• cleavage

• fracture

• streak

The repeating pattern of a mineral's particles forms a solid called a _________. 

• crystal

• rock

• chemical

• inorganic process

Inorganic means not made of living things.

• True

• False

________ is the mass in a given volume. 

• luster

• streak

• density

• hardness

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

• streak

• luster

• cleavage

• fracture