Rocks and Minerals

Billy Bob found a rock and wanted to figure out if it was a rock or mineral. What is a good question that he could ask to identify if the sample is a rock or mineral?

• Is it made up of one material?

• How big is the rock?

• Is it smooth or rough?

• Is it all one color?

Zamani was also outside trying to find rocks for her collection. She found a specimen on the ground. What question should she ask to determine if the specimen is a rock or a mineral?

• How big is the specimen?

• Is the specimen made of the same material throughout?

• How heavy is the specimen?

• Is the specimen hard or soft?

What are the attributes of rocks and minerals?

• Luster, hardness, color, friction

• Luster, hardness, heat, texture

• Luster, color, temperature, texture

• Luster, hardness, color, texture

Which of the following minerals can be scratched by apatite?

• Diamond

• Corundum

• Feldspar

• Calcite

Which of the following minerals can be scratched by Feldspar?

• Fluorite

• Diamond

• Topaz

• Quartz

The students in Mr. Smith's class have been observing and classifying minerals. One group has decided they want to group their minerals by luster. Which question will best help the students classify the minerals?

• What color is each mineral?

• Can the mineral be scratched?

• Is the mineral metallic?

• What does the mineral feel like?

What is the definition for the attribute/property: Texture

• How a rock/mineral feels

• The shade of the rock/mineral on the outside

• How a rock or mineral reflects light

• How durable a rock or mineral is based on a scratch test

What is the definition of the attribute/property: Color

• How a rock or mineral feels

• The shade of the rock or mineral on the outside

• How the rock or mineral reflects light- is it shiny or dull?

• How durable a rock or mineral is based on a scratch test.

A student is testing attributes of a mineral. Which question would the student ask to determine the hardness of the mineral?

• What color is the mineral?

• What does the surface of the mineral feel like?

• How difficult is it to scratch the mineral?

• How much light is reflected off the surface of the mineral?

What is the definition of the attribute/property: Hardness?

• How a rock or mineral feels

• The color or shade of the rock or mineral on the outside

• How the rock or mineral reflects light- is it shiny or dull?

• How durable the rock or mineral is based off of a scratch test