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