Earth Science: Mineral Identification and Classification

Question 1

What is the term used to describe a mineral's resistance to being scratched?

Accepted Answer

hardness

Question 2

What is the measure of how much matter makes up a mineral?

Accepted Answer

density

Question 3

What factor is used to classify most minerals?

Accepted Answer

chemical composition

Question 4

Rubbing a mineral against a white tile to test the color of its powdered form is known as ____.

Accepted Answer

streak

Question 5

Luster describes the way a mineral's surface reflects what?

Accepted Answer

light

Question 6

Silicate minerals contain a combination of silicon and _________.

Accepted Answer

oxygen

Question 7

What do scientists use to help determine a mineral's hardness?

Accepted Answer

Mohs Scale

Question 8

When a mineral breaks into several irregular and uneven pieces, it is called _______.

Accepted Answer

fracture

Question 9

Minerals made up of elements such as carbon, fluorine, iron, and sulfur are classified as ____.

Accepted Answer

non-silicates

Question 10

Color, streak, luster, cleavage, and hardness are all ways to identify _____.

Accepted Answer

properties of minerals

Question 11

This property describes a mineral's tendency to break along weaker, flat surfaces.

Accepted Answer

cleavage

Question 12

True or False: Minerals are divided into silicates and non-silicates.

Accepted Answer

TRUE

Questions 12