Mineral Characteristics

What is the relationship between a rock and a mineral?

• Rocks are made up of minerals.
• Minerals are made up of rocks.
• Rocks are on the Earth's surface. Minerals are found underground.
• Rocks and minerals are different names for the same thing.

Why is coal not a mineral?

• It is not a solid
• It is man-made
• It is not inorganic
• It is made of carbon

A student found a substance that he thought was a mineral. The substance fell out of the container and the liquid spilled all over the floor. Why is the substance not a mineral?

• It is man-made
• It is a liquid
• It is organic
• It is solid

Geologists in search of diamonds are often tricked by quartz because they have similar color, luster, and texture. If they were to scratch the mineral on a tile and see the color of its powder, they they could determine if it was really diamonds. What property were they testing for?

• Hardness
• Fracture
• Crystal Structure
• Streak

A mineral breaks into pieces like are shown in the picture. How would you describe its breakage?

• Fracture
• Cleavage
• Glassy
• Waxy

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

Which minerals would all scratch apatite?

• diamond, topaz, quartz
• quartz, calcite, gypsum
• fluorite, talc, calcite
• diamond, fluorite, corundum

Which indicator would not be good as the only indicator when identifying a mineral? 

• Color
• Breaking Pattern
• Specific Gravity
• Hardness

If a minerals breaks into irregular pieces it is called _____.

• cleavage
• hardness
• lava
• fracture

Minerals are inorganic which means ___________________.

• they are living now
• they were living at one time
• they were never living
• they are grown without pesticides

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

Although cement, brick, steel, and glass all come from substances found in the Earth’s crust, they are NOT classified as minerals because___________________.

• They are organic
• They have a crystalline structure.
• They can be a liquid
• They are not naturally occurring

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-3