Mineral Properties

Question 1

color of a mineral in powdered form

Answer 1

streak

Question 2

resistance of a mineral to abrasion

Answer 2

hardness

Question 3

a relative hardness scale developed by Frederic Mohs in 1824

Answer 3

Mohs Scale

Question 4

an absolute hardness scale

Answer 4

Knoop Scale

Question 5

characteristic shape of a crystal

Answer 5

habit

Question 6

how a mineral reflects light

Answer 6

luster

Question 7

appearance of a mineral through the light spectrum

Answer 7

color

Question 8

minerals whose colors are not influenced by impurities

Answer 8

idiochromatic

Question 9

minerals whose colors are influenced by impurities

Answer 9

allochromatic

Question 10

atoms of elements that influence a mineral’s color

Answer 10

chromophore

Question 11

ability of a mineral to have light pass through them

Answer 11

diaphaneity

Question 12

planes where minerals tend to split

Answer 12

cleavage

Question 13

appearance of a mineral when it does not break along its cleavage

Answer 13

fracture

Question 14

the resistance of a mineral to breaking

Answer 14

tenacity

Question 15

attraction of a mineral to magnetic material

Answer 15

magnetism

Question 16

ratio of a mineral to the weight of water at 4°C with equal volume

Answer 16

specific gravity

Question 17

proportion of a mineral’s mass to volume

Answer 17

density

Question 18

ability of a mineral to fizz in reaction to acids

Answer 18

effervescence

Question 19

ability of a mineral to produce an electric charge

Answer 19

electric charge

Question 20

a mineral’s smell

Answer 20

odor

Question 21

a mineral’s taste

Answer 21

taste