Properties of Minerals

Robyn tests a sample of a mineral by rubbing it on a piece of white tile. She observes a yellow mark on the tile. What property of mineral is Robyn testing?

• Streak

• Color

• Luster

• Cleavage

Sonia took a flashlight and shined it on several rocks. She was testing the reflection of light off of each rock. What property of rocks was Sonia testing?

• Luster

• Color

• Cleavage

• Hardness

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

Which of these correctly explains the relationship between rocks and minerals?

• Minerals are the basic building blocks from which nearly all rocks are made.

• Rocks are materials found on the surface of Earth, and minerals are found only underground.

• Minerals are large structures that can broken down into smaller pieces, called rocks.

• When rocks are heated to very high temperatures, they are changed into minerals.

Which of the following best describes cleavage?

• The crystal size in a mineral

• The color inside a mineral

• The way a mineral breaks

• The way a mineral was formed

Scientists test for the hardness of a mineral by doing which of the following?

• Measuring the mass of the mineral and comparing it to other minerals of known hardness

• Observing the color of the mark the mineral leaves on white tile of known hardness

• Observing the color of a mineral and comparing it to other minerals of known hardness

• Scratching the mineral against other substances of known hardness

Black, brown, red, gray, and blue are words that can describe what property of a mineral?

• Luster

• Cleavage

• Hardness

• Color

Laney was trying to identify a mineral using its properties. So far she has made the following list:

Color: brassy yellow

Streak: black

Which of the following is NOT another property that is usually used to identify minerals?

• Mass

• Hardness

• Luster

• Cleavage

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Which of the following does NOT describe one way rocks and minerals can be related?

• A rock can be made up of more than one kind of mineral.

• A mineral can be made up of more than one kind of rock.

• A rock can be made up of only one kind of mineral.

• A sample of a mineral can be a rock.