Unit 4 Lessons 2&3 Quiz Minerals and their Properties

Over 4,000 different minerals can be found on Earth's surface. Which is true of all these minerals?

• they have the same hardness

• they have a crystal structure

• they all have metallic luster

• they all have identical cleavage

Minerals can be sorted based on their hardness. The Mohs’ scale lists the hardness of specific minerals. Which statement best explains how scientists use the Mohs’ scale to help them determine a mineral’s hardness?

• no two minerals have the same hardness

• minerals with the same hardness are usually the same color

• a mineral can only scratch another mineral that has a lower hardness

• a mineral can scratch another mineral that has the same or lower hardness

Paolo wanted to identify a mineral. He rubbed a corner of the mineral across a white tile and recorded the color of the mark. What property was Paolo measuring?

• cleavage

• hardness

• luster

• streak

The Mohs’ scale lists diamond as the hardest mineral. What does this mean?

• diamonds can scratch any other mineral

• diamonds weigh more for a given size than any other mineral

• diamond is the only mineral that does not leave a streak on a tile plate

• diamond is the only mineral that will not break when hit with a hammer

Minerals can be identified by their hardness. What is the hardest mineral?

• corundum

• diamond

• quartz

• talc

Bethany and Ian are each given a sample of the mineral quartz and asked to compare their samples. Bethany is given a sample of smoky quartz, and Ian is given a sample of rose quartz. Which property is least likely to be the same for the two samples?

• cleavage

• color

• hardness

• streak

Jorge is studying a sample of the mineral galena. He describes the galena as cubic, gray, metallic, and opaque. Which term describes galena’s luster?

• cubic

• gray

• metallic

• opaque

A group of students was given samples of three unknown minerals. The table below shows the observations they recorded.

Which claim is best supported by the evidence?

• only samples 1 and 2 are the same

• only samples 1 and 3 are the same

• only samples 2 and 3 are the same

• all three samples are the same

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-2

On a school trip, Chan is looking for mineral samples on a beach. Chan records all the physical properties of the mineral he can identify just by looking at and touching each mineral. Which property would Chan least likely be able to identify?

• color

• hardness

• luster

• texture

Donna has two rocks that she thinks are the same mineral. She decides to conduct a streak test to compare them. She runs each mineral along a streak plate, which leaves a line of powder on the plate. What evidence will help Donna compare the rocks?

• whether the powder is dull or shiny

• whether the rock scratched the plate

• the color of the line on the plate

• the shape of the powder crystals