Properties of Minerals

A mineral's tendency to break along planes of weakness is known as

• cleavage

• fracture

• hardness

• luster

Petroleum fuels are considered nonrenewable resources because they are formed from __________ compressed between layers of rock.

• wind

• water

• living organisms

• radioactive compounds

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

Oil, coal, natural gas, and uranium are used to generate electrical energy. What is true about ALL of them?

• They are fossil fuels.

• They are finite (limited) resources.

• They are renewable resources.

• They are never completely used up.

Why are fossil fuels considered nonrenewable resources if they are still forming beneath the surface today?

• They are being formed as a type of methane which we cannot use.

• We are depleting the fossil fuels much faster than they can form.

• They are being formed too far beneath the surface of the ocean and cannot be reached.

• The fossil fuels are being broken down by a natural process faster than they can form.

For a substance to be a mineral it must meet every category mentioned below EXCEPT one. That criteria is

• it can scratch glass.

• it has a crystal form.

• it is naturally occurring.

• it is not from a living animal or plant.

Tom's class has been studying natural resources in science. His teacher listed these two words on the board: oil, coal. Tom's teacher asked them to think about why these two words are important to humans. Why are resources such as oil and coal important?

• They are used as fuel.

• They are not important.

• They are used to grow plants.

• They are used in construction.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

An example of a nonrenewable resource is

• glass

• gold

• leather

• paper

One special property of mica that would help you tell it apart from any other mineral is that it

• bubbles in acid.

• breaks into thin sheets.

• is the only gray mineral.

• can scratch all other minerals.

Sarah and Sue were trying to identify minerals in science class. They initially divided all of the samples based on whether or not they had a opaque and reflective luster. Donald questioned this tactic: "Why are you doing that?" Sarah told him that it helped to classify minerals as

• hard or soft.

• made-man or natural.

• shiny or dull.

• silicates or carbonates.

You and your classmates have been challenged to identify six minerals. You begin with a glassy, pink mineral. The mineral can scratch glass. Based on these three properties, the mineral is MOST LIKELY

• calcite

• feldspar

• gypsum

• quartz