Rock Cycle and Minerals

The color of a mineral in powder form is called the mineral's 

• hardness
• specific gravity
• luster
• streak

A student investigated minerals by conducting tests of their physical properties.  The student noticed that an unknown mineral could be scratched by quartz and could be scratched by calcite.  The results of the test were compared to the hardness chart below.

Based on the chart, which mineral could the unknown substance be? 

• feldspar

• topaz

• gypsum

• flourite

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

The following image shows what mineral property?

• Hardness
• Streak
• Cleavage
• Density

Diamond has a hardness of ___ on Mohs Hardness Scale.

• 1
• 5
• 8
• 10

Dull, silky, waxy, pearly, and earthy are terms that best describe which property of minerals?

• luster
• color
• streak
• cleavage

The table below shows the physical properties of ten different minerals.

A scientist is trying to use a metal knife to cut an unknown mineral. The metal knife has a hardness of 5. The knife cannot scratch the sample but the sample is scratched by topaz. Which additional property on the table should the scientist observe about the mineral in order to identify it?

• color

• streak

• luster

• hardness

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

By definition, a mineral has which of the following characteristic(s)?

• definite chemical composition
• crystal structure
• naturally occuring
• all of the above

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

What mineral is the softest mineral on Moh's Hardness Scale and the main ingredient in baby powder?

• feldspar
• talc
• gypsum
• kaolinite

A mineral's resistance to being scratched is called?

• streak
• luster
• hardness
• heft

-the name of the scale used to determine a mineral's hardness.

• Miller's scale of hardness

• The Scale of Hardness

• Mohs scale of hardness

• Mineral Hardness Scale