Minerals Flashcards
What are the four characteristics of minerals?
Forms in nature
Solid
Definite chemical makeup
Crystal structure
Mineral
A substance that forms in nature, is a solid, has a definite chemical makeup, and has a crystal structure
How are rocks different than minerals?
A rock contains minerals and rocks only have two of the characteristics of minerals
What are the ten characteristics of minerals?
Color, streak, luster, cleavage, fracture, density, hardness, fluorescence, magnetic pull, and radioactivity
Is color a reliable test for minerals?
No because many can be the same color
What are ways a streak can be described as?
Colorless, white, gray, black, red, etc.
Streak
The color of a mineral left behind when the mineral is scraped across a surface
Cleavage
The tendency of a mineral to break along flat surfaces
Fracture
The tendency of a mineral to break into irregular pieces
Texture
How the mineral feels
Transparency
The amount of light that is able to come through the mineral
Opaque
Not able to see through the mineral
Luster
The way in which light reflects from its surface
How is luster described?
Metallic, glassy, vitreous, earthy, chalky, waxy, silky, or pearly
What mineral is a 10?
Diamond
What mineral is a 9?
Corundum
What mineral is a 8?
Topaz
What mineral is a 7?
Quartz
What mineral is a 6?
Orthoclase
What mineral is a 5?
Apatite
What mineral is a 4?
Fluorite
What mineral is a 3?
Calcite
What mineral is a 2?
Gypsum
What mineral is a 1?
Talc
What is the hardness of a steel file?
6.5
What is the hardness of glass?
5.5
What is the hardness of a knife blade?
5.1
What is the hardness of a wire nail?
4.5
What is the hardness of a penny?
3.5
What is the hardness of a fingernail?
2.5
