Name ____________________________________________________________
Study Guide Key: Mineral and Rocks (p. 312-323)-Modified
1. A naturally occurring material of Earth’s surface is called a mineral.
2. This describes the way light reflects off a mineral (the type of shine): luster
3. Give some examples of words used to describe the type of shine.
(pick 3): glassy
dull waxy
oily pearly
earthy metallic
4. The way some rocks break with flat surfaces is called cleavage.
5. You can perform this test to find out a mineral’s hardness: the Scratch test
6. You can perform this test to find out a mineral’s streak color: the Streak test
7. Feldspar, mica, and quartz are 3 minerals in this rock: quartz, feldspar, mica
8. What does the Mohs’ scale tell about a mineral? hardness
9. Rocks with a number 2 on the Mohs’ scale would be considered soft.
10. Rocks with a number 9 on the Mohs’ scale would be considered hard.
11. Which mineral is the hardest on the Mohs’ scale? diamond
12. List the steps in doing the Scratch Test.
a. Rub the rock to see if any powder comes off on your finger.
b. Scratch the rock with your fingernail.
c. Scratch the rock with a penny
d. Scratch the rock with a steel nail.
e. Scratch a piece of glass with the rock.
13. Can you always tell a mineral’s streak color just by looking at the mineral? Give an
example.
You cannot always tell a mineral’s streak color just by looking at a mineral. For
example, iron pyrite looks gold, but its streak color is greenish black.
14. Which type of rocks form when magma or lava cools and hardens? igneous
15. Which type of rock forms from pieces of rock, sand, soil, clay and pebbles that are
squeezed and cemented together?
sedimentary
16. Which type of rock forms when other rocks are changed by heat and pressure?
metamorphic
17. Name 4 properties used to identify minerals and rocks.
(pick 4): color
streak color
texture luster
cleavage crystal shape hardness
18. Which process continually changes rock from one kind to another over long periods
of time? The rock cycle
19. Complete this sentence: All rock comes from other rock.(p. 322)
20.-27. Write each rock in the correct group:
sandstone
obsidian
limestone
marble
gneiss
granite
pumice
slate
Igneous
Obsidian
Granite
Pumice
Sedimentary
sandstone
limestone
Metamorphic
marble
gneiss
slate
*Each student will meet individually with Mrs. Wade. I will ask you to identify ten rocks
of your choice from the tray containing rocks that we have worked with in class.
Possible rocks include:
Gray or pink granite
Quartz
Feldspar
Mica
Chalk
Shale
Sandstone
Limestone
Galena
Marble
Galena
Sulfur
Iron Pyrite (Fool’s Gold)
Hematite
Obsidian
Pumice
Basalt
Gneiss
Slate
I may also ask students to…
-point to a “soft” rock/ a “hard” rock
-point to a rock with luster (you describe the luster)
-point to a sedimentary rock
-point to an igneous rock
-describe how to do the streak test and tell why it is useful
*Students should also be able to use a Properties of Minerals chart like the one in your
packet to find the name of a given rock based on the properties given.