Mineral Characteristics
Mineral Properties 1
Mineral Properties 2
Building Blocks
Miscellaneous
100
NOT man-made. Occurs without artificial aid.
Naturally Occurring
100
The easiest property to observe, but the least useful in identifying minerals.
Color
100
A mineral's ability to resist being scratched.
Hardness
100
The __________ _________ is where you can find information about elements (atomic number, symbol, etc).
Periodic Table
100
The hardest mineral.
Diamond
200
Definite shape and definite volume.
Solid
200
The way light reflects off a mineral's surface.
Luster
200
This is the scale used to rank minerals by hardness from 1 to 10 against common objects.
Mohs Hardness Scale
200
These are the building blocks (make up) elements.
Atoms
200
A scientist that studies minerals.
Mineralogist
300
Is NOT formed from living things or the remains of living things.
Inorganic
300
Describe the luster of this mineral (diamond).
Shiny/Brilliant, Non-Metallic
300
Describes breaking.
_____________ = splits into smooth surfaces.
_____________ = breaks into rough or jagged surfaces.
Cleavage
Fracture
300
These are the building blocks (make up) minerals.
Elements
300
This mineral comes in many colors and was the earring material we identified in TOC 36.
Calcite
400
Atoms repeat in a pattern to give a particular shape.
Crystal Structure/Shape
400
The powder a mineral leaves when it is rubbed against a ceramic plate. The MOST useful property for identifying minerals.
Streak/Streak Color
400
The amount of matter in a given space.
Density
400
What are the building blocks (make up) of rocks?
Minerals
400
The German mineralogist who developed the Mohs Hardness Scale in 1812.
Friedrich Mohs
500
Each mineral has a particular mix of elements ("ingredients of elements"). Ex: Gold (Au) or Halite (NaCl)
Definite Chemical Composition
500
Why is a mineral's streak so useful in helping to identify it?
Almost all minerals have an inherent streak color no matter what the actual color of the mineral is (Ex: calcite).
Some minerals look similar in color, but have different streak colors (Ex: gold and pyrite).
500
How do you calculate density?
Density = mass/volume
500
What are rocks the building blocks (make up) of?
The Earth
500
This is the mineral we use to season our food and is commonly known as salt. (What is the name of the mineral?)
Halite