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Minerals Classification

Total questions: 13

Worksheet time: 7mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

All minerals are _____.

a)

transparent crystals

b)

organic

c)

naturally occurring

d)

all of the above

2.

A student says a rock is just another name for a mineral. Is the student correct?

a)

yes, rocks are the same as minerals, and there is only one main type

b)

no, minerals are made from rocks, and some minerals are made of many rocks

c)

no, rocks are made from minerals, but some rocks are made of just one mineral

d)

yes, rocks are the larger version of a mineral

3.

How do you distinguish a rock from a mineral?

a)

rocks are always bigger than minerals

b)

minerals are usually made of small rocks that bind together

c)

rocks can always be identified by their shape; minerals can not

d)

minerals are made of elements that form crystals and rocks are made of one or more minerals

4.

Minerals are described by their _____.

a)

chemical composition

b)

physical characteristics

c)

both A and B

d)

neither A nor B

5.

Which of the following are the best characteristics to use to identify different minerals?

a)

size, color, streak, and crystal shape

b)

cleavage, weight, hardness, and specific gravity

c)

color, texture, weight, and streak

d)

hardness, luster, density, and streak

6.

Which property are you testing for when you powder a mineral on an unglazed porcelain plate?

a)

Color

b)

Luster

c)

Streak

d)

Hardness

7.

When a mineral breaks along a smooth, flat surface it is said to have _____.

a)

Crystal shape

b)

Cleavage

c)

Fracture

d)

Hardness

8.

Silicate minerals are composed of _____.

a)

silicon-hydrogen compounds

b)

silicon-oxygen compounds

c)

silicon-carbon compounds

d)

silicon-helium compounds

9.

Which is a class of nonsilicate minerals?

a)

clay

b)

calcite

c)

carbonate

d)

quartz

10.

This mineral is referred to as "fool's gold," but it is very brittle. It has a metallic luster and is light yellow in color.


According to the table, which mineral is this?

a)

Gold.

b)

Copper.

c)

Quartz.

d)

Pyrite.

11.

This mineral is the softest and is used in powders. It is found mostly in metamorphic rock and is also called "soapstone."


According to the table, which mineral is this?

a)

Galena.

b)

Talc.

c)

Gold.

d)

Quartz.

12.

This mineral has a hardness of 2.5 - 3, is used in wires, coins, and pipes, and leaves a cooper or red streak.


According to the table, which mineral is this?

a)

Gold.

b)

Galena.

c)

Copper.

d)

Talc.

13.

What can you infer about graphite from the fact that you can scratch it with just your fingernail?

a)

It's not very lustrous.

b)

It's not very hard.

c)

It's streak is black - colored.

d)

It has fracture.