What is a mineral?
A mineral must occur ____________, be ____________, and have a _______ chemical composition
What is naturally, inorganic, definite?
This property describes how light reflects from a mineral's surface.
What is luster?
This property measures a mineral's resistance to being scratched.
What is hardness?
This mineral property can be unreliable when used by itself because different minerals can have similar colors.
What is color?
This mineral has a metallic luster, pale brass-yellow color, cubic crystals, and a hardness of 6–6.5.
What is pyrite?
This characteristic means a mineral is not produced by a living organism.
What is inorganic?
The color of powder created when a mineral is scraped.
What is Streak?
If Mineral A scratches Mineral B, which mineral is harder?
What is Mineral A?
Why is it better to use multiple mineral properties when identifying an unknown mineral?
What is multiple tests provide more evidence and allow you to eliminate possibilities?
This mineral has a hardness of 3, a hexagonal crystal shape, white streak, and fizzes in dilute hydrochloric acid.
What is calcite?
Why is glass generally NOT considered a mineral, even though it is a naturally occurring solid in some situations?
What is it is not naturally occuring
A mineral breaks along smooth, predictable, flat surfaces.
What is cleavage?
A mineral has a hardness of 6. Which could scratch it: a mineral with a hardness of 4, 5, or 7?
What is 7?
Four tests match Mineral X, but one test does not. Should you immediately reject Mineral X?
What is no; investigate the conflicting evidence and check the test?
This mineral has metallic luster, black color, black streak, hardness of 1–2, and a hexagonal crystal shape.
What is graphite?
A substance is naturally occurring, inorganic, and solid, but its chemical composition varies and it does not have an organized crystal structure. Can it be classified as a mineral?
What is No
What is the difference between cleavage and fracture?
What is cleavage occurs along predictable planes, while fracture is generally irregular?
A mineral scratches a mineral with a hardness of 5 but is scratched by a mineral with a hardness of 7. What can you conclude?
What is its hardness is between 5 and 7?
An unknown mineral is white, shiny, and hard. Why aren't these observations necessarily enough to identify it?
What is multiple minerals can share these properties, so more diagnostic evidence is needed?
An unknown mineral has:
What mineral is it?
What is muscovite?
A student finds a naturally occurring substance that is solid. They claim it is a mineral. What additional TWO characteristics must be considered before accepting their identification?
What are definite chemical composition and inorganic?
Two minerals are both shiny and white. One breaks along smooth, repeating flat surfaces while the other breaks unevenly. Which properties would help you distinguish them?
What are cleavage and fracture?
A student says, “My fingernail didn't scratch this mineral, so its hardness must be exactly 6.” Why is this incorrect?
What is the test only tells you the mineral is harder than the fingernail; it does not establish an exact hardness?
Which combination would generally provide stronger evidence for identifying an unknown mineral: color, size, and shape OR hardness, streak, and a special property?
What is hardness, streak, and a special property?
An unknown mineral has:
A student chooses quartz because it has a similar appearance and hardness. What evidence should make the student reconsider?
What is the cleavage, because quartz does not have the cleavage described?