Mineral Properties
Mineral Characteristics
True or False
100
What property is the least reliable for mineral identification?
What is Color.
100
What does it mean if a mineral is "inorganic"?
It means "non-living" or "dead."
100
A mineral is made of rocks.
What is FALSE.
Minerals are made naturally on Earth. Rocks are made up of minerals.
200
Is the color of the mineral in its original form always the same as the color of its powdered form when you test its streak?
No, the streak can be a different color on the tile from its original color. Example: Hematite (black color, but red streak)
200
Some say ice is a mineral but water is not. Why do they say water is not a mineral?
Water is a liquid. To be a mineral, it needs to be a solid (one of the 5 characteristics of a mineral).
200
An atom is made up of at least more than one molecule
What is FALSE.
Molecules are made up of more than one atom.
300
Name two different descriptions of a non-metallic luster.
Possible answers: silky, waxy, greasy, pearly, glassy, earthy & dull.
300
Name at least two ways a crystal can form.
What are organic processes, the cooling of magma and lave, and the evaporation of a mineral solution?
300
Quartz can scratch Diamond.
What is FALSE.
Diamond is the toughest mineral. Only diamond can scratch diamond.
400
Using the image:
Volume on the left is 20.0 mL & on the right is 22.8 mL. What is the volume of the object?
Volume on the left is 20.0 mL & on the right is 22.8 mL. What is the volume of the object?
What is 2.8 mL
400
Is coal a mineral?
No because it is organic. It is made from the remains of vegetation.
400
The two samples of the mineral pyrite have different densities.
What is FALSE?
Minerals of the same type have the same density no matter what the size.
500
Using Moh's Scale of Hardness:
Which minerals cannot be scratched by a steel file but can scratch window glass?
What is Quartz?
500
Even though graphite (pencil lead) and diamond come from the same atom, carbon, their physical characteristics are completely different. Why is this the case?
Their atoms are arranged in different crystal structures.
500
The most likely way for a crystal to form is by boiling.
What is FALSE?
Evaporation results in crystal formation in a solution and cooling for crystal formation in magma/lava.