Characteristics of Minerals and Soil Quiz

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a mineral?

• Must be organic

• Must occur naturally in the Earth

• Are always solids

• Have a definite chemical composition

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

What is the term used to describe the definite, repeating pattern in which atoms are arranged in a mineral?

• Organic structure

• Amorphous structure

• Crystal structure

• Random structure

Which state of matter must all minerals be?

• Liquid

• Gas

• Solid

• Plasma

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

How are mineral crystals formed?

• By heating solid rock

• By cooling magma

• By compressing sediment

• By melting minerals

What size crystals are formed when magma cools slowly?

• No crystals

• Small crystals

• Large crystals

• Variable size crystals

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

What happens when magma cools VERY quickly?

• Large crystals form

• Small crystals form

• No crystals form at all

• The magma turns into a gas

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

Which of the following is NOT listed as a physical property for identifying minerals?

• Color

• Luster

• Elasticity

• Cleavage

What physical property is used to identify a mineral by the way it reflects light?

• Color

• Luster

• Hardness

• Density

Which physical property of minerals is determined by rubbing the mineral on a porcelain plate to observe the color of the powder left behind?

• Color

• Luster

• Streak

• Cleavage

Why is color not a very reliable property for identifying minerals?

• Because color cannot be observed easily.

• Because minerals do not have characteristic colors.

• Because many minerals come in a variety of colors and can change due to certain conditions.

• Because all minerals are colorless.