Mineral characteristics
Identifying Minerals
Igneous Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
100
The way a mineral reflects light.
What is luster?
100
When a mineral breaks unevenly.
What is fracture?
100
The term used to describe an igneous rock formed underground.
What is intrusive or plutonic?
100
Clastic sedimentary rocks are classified by this.
What is grain size?
100
Slate is the metamorphosed version of this sedimentary rock.
What is shale?
200
Pearls, although beautiful, are not considered minerals because they are
What is organically formed?
200
A MEASURE OF HOW EASILY A MINERAL CAN BE SCRATCHED…
What is hardness?
200
IGNEOUS ROCKS THAT ARE MADE OF LARGE-GRAINED MINERALS…
What is coarse?
200
Coquina is an example of this sedimentary rock, which formed from the cementation of shells.
What is limestone?
200
These are the two main categories for metamorphic rocks.
What are foliated and non-foliated?
300
SYNTHETIC DIAMONDS ARE NOT CONSIDERED MINERALS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT…
What is naturally occurring?
300
These are the two types of lusters.
What are metallic and non-metallic?
300
Igneous rocks that contain gas pockets are called
What is vesicular?
300
A sedimentary rock with large, angular fragments.
What is breccia?
300
These are unlikely to be found in metamorphic rocks, but are still more commonly found in them compared to igneous rocks.
What are fossils?
400
This mineral will bubble with acid because of its composition.
What is calcite/dolomite?
400
THE COLOR OF A MINERAL WHEN IT IS BROKEN UP AND A POWDER…
What is streak?
400
This igneous rock falls in the middle of mafic and felsic, and contains no potassium feldspar.
What is diorite?
400
Clastic sedimentary rocks form through this process
What is compaction and cementation?
400
Metamorphic rocks are higher in this physical property than sedimentary or igneous rocks, due to increased pressure.
What is density?
500
ALTHOUGH APPROXIMATELY 3000 MINERALS OCCUR IN EARTH’S CRUST, ONLY THIS MANY ARE COMMON…
What is 30?
500
A penny is a good tool to distinguish calcite from fluorite because it will scratch
What is calcite but not fluorite?
500
The words mafic and felsic describes these characteristics of an igneous rock.
What are density and composition?
500
Relying on this characteristic is not recommended when identifying sedimentary rocks.
What is color?
500
This type of metamorphism does not include increased pressure to the rock.
What is contact?