Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a mineral?
What is a mineral?
A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical structure.
Name the 5 characteristics that minerals need.
Name the 5 characteristics that minerals need.
Naturally occurring, inorganic, solid, crystal structured, definite chemical composition.
What is a streak?
What is a streak?
A streak is the color of the mineral's powder.
What is a luster?
What is a luster?
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What is the color of a mineral?
What is the color of a mineral?
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Find the density, given: Mass: 300 grams, volume: 30 cm³. What is the density?
Find the density, given: Mass: 300 grams, volume: 30 cm³. What is the density?
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What is the MOHs hardness scale?
What is the MOHs hardness scale?
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What is fracture and cleavage?
What is fracture and cleavage?
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What is the difference between fracture and cleavage?
What is the difference between fracture and cleavage?
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Amber is used in jewelry. Is amber a mineral?
Amber is used in jewelry. Is amber a mineral?
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Study Notes
Definition of a Mineral
- A mineral is defined as a naturally occurring, inorganic solid.
- It possesses a crystal structure and has a definite chemical composition.
Characteristics of Minerals
- To qualify as a mineral, a substance must be:
- Naturally occurring
- Inorganic
- Solid
- Have a crystal structure
- Possess a definite chemical composition
Streak
- Streak refers to the color of a mineral's powder when it is scratched or rubbed against a surface.
Luster
- Luster describes how light interacts with the surface of a mineral, indicating its shine or reflectiveness.
Color of a Mineral
- The color of a mineral offers limited information about its identity and is not a reliable diagnostic property.
Density Calculation
- Density is calculated using the formula:
- Density = mass/volume
- Example calculation: For a mass of 300 grams and a volume of 30 cm³, the density is 10 g/cm³.
MOHs Hardness Scale
- The MOHs hardness scale ranks ten minerals from the softest to the hardest, providing a relative measure of a mineral's hardness.
Fracture and Cleavage
- Cleavage is a property of minerals that split easily along flat surfaces.
- Fracture describes the appearance of a mineral when it breaks in an irregular manner.
Difference Between Fracture and Cleavage
- Cleavage allows for easy identification when a mineral splits along specific planes.
- Fracture indicates irregular breaks and can assist in identifying minerals that do not cleave.
Amber as a Mineral
- Amber is formed from hardened resin of alpine trees and is used in jewelry.
- It is classified as a mineral due to its natural occurrence and solid form, despite being organic in origin.
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Description
Explore the fundamental properties and characteristics of minerals in this quiz. Understand definitions, streak, luster, color, and density calculations. Test your knowledge on the classification and significance of minerals.
