Minerals Quiz

Rub the mineral against a piece of unglazed porcelain

How can you find the streak of a mineral?

Observe with our eyes

How do we identify the color of a mineral?

grams per cubic centimeter

How is density measured?

Fluorescence Magnetism Chemical Reaction Taste Optical Radioactivity

List some special properties that SOME minerals have that others do not.

Radium and Uranium

Name 2 minerals that are radioactive.

Magnetitie and Pyrrhotite

Name 2 natural magnets that attract iron.

Halite, salty

Name a mineral that has a taste, and tell what it tastes like.

Color Caleb's Luster Lamborghini Density Does Hardness Have Fracture Five Cleavage Clean Streak Seats

Name the 7 characteristics we use to identify minerals

Crystalline structure

Of the 4 properties that identify a mineral, which is the hardest to answer (figure out)?

Colors

Some minerals, like Quartz, come in a wide variety of ___________.

FALSE Sometimes the color of a mineral is different than the color of its streak. That's why these are 2 separate properties.

T/F The color of a mineral will always be the same as the color of its streak

arrangement (or pattern)

The shape of a crystal is determined by the __________________ of the atoms or molecules.

Impurities and Exposure (to air and water)

What changes the outward color of a mineral

unglazed porcelain (streak plate)

What do you rub a mineral against to test its streak?

fizz or bubble

What does calcite do when you put acid on it?

color

What is NOT a good way to identify a mineral?

A mineral is a..... --Naturally-formed --Inorganic --Solid [with] --Crystalline structure

What is a mineral?

water

What substance is used as a reference point for density. (It has a density of exactly 1 g/cm so we compare the density of other substances to it)

Some minerals have a variety of colors. Some minerals change colors

Why is color not a good way to identify a mineral?

hardness

a mineral's resistance to being scratched

compound

a substance made by 2 or more elements that have been chemically combined

metallic

bright and reflective

submetallic

dull and semi-reflective

nonmetallic

glassy, greasy, fibrous, creamy, rough, dull plastic

Density

how much matter is in a given amount space

crystal

occurs when there is a repeating pattern of atoms or molecules in a material

streak

the color of a mineral in powder form

streak

the color of a mineral in powdered form.

diamond

the hardest mineral

luster

the property of minerals that says whether something is shiny or dull

Specific Gravity

the ratio of an object's density when compared to the density of water is called.....

fracture

the tendency of minerals to break along uneven surfaces (example: Quartz)

cleavage

the tendency of some minerals to break along smooth, flat surfaces (example: Mica)

streak plate

the tool we use to find out what a mineral's color is in powdered form

luster

the way a mineral reflects light

Flourescent

Calcite and fluorite glow under ultraviolet light, so they are _________________

it causes a double image when placed over an image

Clear calcite has an optical property. What does it do?

Mass, Volume

Density is a ratio (fraction) of a object's _______ compared to it's _________

scale of 1-10 that measures the hardness of minerals

Describe the Mohs Hardness Scale

atom

Each element is made of only one type of ....

Streak is not affected by air or water

Explain why Streak is more reliable than color in identifying a mineral.

properties

We identify minerals by noting different _____________.