5 PARTS TO THE DEFINITION OF A MINERAL
1. Not man made
Answer: Naturally occurring
2. Is not now, and was never alive.
Answer: Inorganic
3. Not a liquid or gas
Answer: Solid
4. Ratio of elements forming a compound
Answer: definite chemical composition
5. crystalline structure
Answer: Internal arrangement of atoms
MINERAL IDENTIFICATION
6. The way something reflects light
Answer: luster
7. Resistance to being scratched
Answer: hardness
8. Breakage in flat planes
Answer: cleavage
9. Breakage not along flat planes
Answer: fracture
10. Color of the mineral’s powder
Answer: streak
11. Is color a useful identifying characteristic
Answer: No
12. An easy test for calcite
Answer: apply acid
13. This mineral has cubic cleavage and is used to melt ice
Answer: halite
14. The most abundant mineral in beach sand
Answer: quartz
15. All of the characteristics of a mineral are related to its . . .
Answer: Internal arrangement of atoms
16. Another name for Amphibole
Answer: hornblende
17. This elements chemical symbol is Mg.
Answer: magnesium
18. Nonmetalic luster, 2.5, cleavage, KAl3Si3O10(OH) 2
Answer: Muscovite Mica
19. What elements give Biotite Mica a black or dark brown color?
Answer: Mg, Fe – magnesium and iron
20. What property of a diamond allows diamond powder to be used to shape other gems?
Answer: hardness
21. Which mineral with nonmetalic luster can scratch calcite but not fluorite?
Answer: Dolomite
22. Which element is in 15 of the 21 minerals on pg 16?
Answer: Oxygen