Mineral Identification and Properties

What defines a mineral?

• A naturally occurring liquid with atoms organized randomly

• A synthetic solid with atoms organized in a pattern

• A naturally occurring solid with atoms organized in a pattern

• Any solid material found on Earth

Which of the following is NOT a physical characteristic used by Earth scientists to identify minerals?

• Color

• Luster

• Smell

• Hardness

What is a mineral's streak?

• The way its surface reflects light

• The shape of the crystals it forms

• The color it has when ground into a powder

• Its resistance to scratching

What is the primary difference between cleavage and fracture in minerals?

• Cleavage occurs in random places, while fracture occurs along flat planes.

• Cleavage is when a mineral breaks along flat planes, while fracture is when it breaks in random places.

• Cleavage is a measure of hardness, while fracture is a measure of luster.

• Cleavage is only found in soft minerals, while fracture is only found in hard minerals.

How is the Mohs Hardness Scale used to determine a mineral's hardness?

• It measures a mineral's resistance to breaking when a force is applied.

• It rates a mineral's ability to reflect light.

• It determines how resistant a mineral is to being scratched.

• It identifies the color of a mineral's powder.