Podcast
Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a mineral?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a mineral?
What physical property involves streaking a mineral to see its color?
What physical property involves streaking a mineral to see its color?
Which mineral has the highest position on Moh's scale of hardness?
Which mineral has the highest position on Moh's scale of hardness?
What property of minerals refers to their reflection and shine?
What property of minerals refers to their reflection and shine?
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Which scale is used to measure the hardness of minerals?
Which scale is used to measure the hardness of minerals?
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Study Notes
Characteristics of a Mineral
- A mineral must be a solid substance.
- A mineral must be naturally occurring.
- A mineral must be inorganic, meaning it is not living and not made from living things.
- A mineral must have a fixed chemical formula, composed of specific elements.
Physical Properties of Minerals
- Crystal Habit: the external shape or form of a mineral, including platey, elongate, or equant shapes.
- Color: the outer appearance of a mineral.
- Streak: the color of the powdered form of a mineral, determined by the streak test.
- Luster: the reflection or shine of a mineral, which can be metallic or non-metallic.
- Hardness: measured on the Mohs scale, with 10 levels of hardness:
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- Talc
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- Gypsum
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- Calcite
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- Apatite
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- Feldspar
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- Quartz
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- Topaz
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- Corundum
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- Diamond
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- Cleavage: the pattern in which a mineral breaks, with a specific pattern for each mineral.
- Specific Gravity: the ratio of a mineral's density to that of water.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the characteristics and physical properties of minerals. Learn about the essential criteria for identifying minerals as well as key physical properties like crystal habit, color, streak, and luster.
