Properties of Minerals Quiz

Properties of Minerals

• Eight physical properties are employed to identify minerals: color, luster, hardness, streak, density, crystal shape, and cleavage/fracture.

Color

• Color can be easily observed, but many minerals, like quartz, can vary in color, making it a less reliable identification factor.

Luster

• Luster describes how a mineral reflects light, which can be classified as metallic, brilliant, glassy, pearly, silky, or dull.

Hardness

• Hardness measures a mineral's resistance to scratching, a key property for identification.

Streak

• Streak refers to the color of the powder left behind when a mineral is scraped on a surface, providing another identification method.

Density

• Density is defined as the mass of matter in a specific volume, a consistent property for each mineral.

Density Consistency

• The density of a mineral remains constant regardless of size or shape.
• When comparing minerals of similar size, the denser mineral will feel heavier to the touch.

Crystal Shape

• Minerals exhibit six basic crystal shapes, each with a distinct, defined structure.

Cleavage and Fracture

• Cleavage and fracture describe the characteristics of how minerals break.
• Cleavage indicates a mineral breaks smoothly along defined surfaces.
• Fracture means a mineral breaks unevenly in jagged pieces.

Special Properties

• Special properties of minerals may include distinct smells (such as sulfur), tastes (like saltiness), fluorescence (glowing under certain conditions), and magnetism.

Moh's Hardness Scale

• Moh's Hardness Scale is a reference system used to determine the hardness of minerals, ranking them based on their resistance to scratching.