Ch. 5 Minerals – Quiz STUDY GUIDE
Name _______________________ Due Date _________ Block _________
Earth Science
1. Most minerals are __compounds__ (contains atoms of two or more elements that are combined).
2. Native Elements (also called Native Minerals) contain only one __element__.
3. The internal arrangement of _atoms_ determines the hardness, crystal shape and breakage of a mineral.
4. Minerals that break evenly along smooth, flat planes are said to have __cleavage__.
5. __Luster__ refers to how light is reflected off the surface of a mineral.
6. Friedrich __Mohs__ developed the hardness scale for minerals.
7. Minerals on the hardness scale are arranged according to their resistance to being __scratched__.
8. __Color__ is an unreliable test for mineral identification.
9. __Silicon__, __Oxygen__, and __Aluminum__ are the three most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust.
10. A __streak__ test is used to find the color of the powder of a mineral.
11. Scratching a mineral across a glass plate is a method used to determine a mineral’s __hardness__.
12. What property of quartz accounts for its abundance? _hardness_
13. The mineral Quartz (SiO2) belongs to the __silicates__ group.
14. The mineral __Calcite__ fizzes when hydrochloric acid is placed on it.
15. The mineral Hematite is an ore of iron and has a characteristic __reddish-brown__ streak.
16. The mineral __Pyrite__ is also known as “Fool’s Gold.”
17. The mineral __Mica__ breaks into thin, flat sheets.
18. The hardness of a fingernail is __2.5__. Name two minerals, from the lab, that are softer than human fingernail:
__Talc__ & __Gypsum__
19. Gemstones are located on Mohs scale at a hardness level of at least _7_.
20. The yellow mineral __sulfur__ is easily identified by its smell.
21. Which group of rock-forming minerals makes up 90% of Earth’s crust? __Silicates__
22. Among all the varieties of Quartz, the property of __color__ varies the most from sample to sample.
23. The __Silicate__ __Tetrahedron__ is the basic structural unit of most Silicate minerals, which all contain
__Silicon__ & __Oxygen__.
24. Be able to compare the hardness of minerals according to the Mohs Hardness scale and the hardness of some
common objects.
Mohs Hardness Scale
Talc
Gypsum
Calcite
Fluorite
Apatite
Feldspar
Quartz
Topaz
Corundum
Diamond
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Hardness of
Common Objects
Fingernail (2.5)
Penny (3.5)
Iron Nail (4.5)
Which minerals can scratch a steel file?
___Quartz, Topaz, Corundum, and Diamond___
What mineral scratches Apatite but is scratched by Quartz?
_Feldspar_
Glass (5.5)
Which minerals are scratched by Calcite? __Talc and Gypsum__
Steel File (6.5)
Which mineral scratches an iron nail but not glass? __Apatite__
Streak Plate (7)
What two minerals can scratch Quartz but not Diamond?
___Topaz and Corundum___
Short Answer and Fill-in-the-Blank Questions
25. List the 5 characteristics of a mineral.
1. __Solid__
2. __Orderly arrangement of atoms__
3. __Naturally occurring__
4. __Inorganic__
5. __Chemical formula doesn’t change__
26. Why is diamond so much more resistant to scratching than graphite?
___The atoms in a Diamond are arranged much stronger than in Graphite___
27. Explain the difference between a mineral compound and a native element.
___A compound contains atoms from two or more elements, while a Native Element contains atoms from
only one element._________________________________________________________________________
28. Name the three processes in which minerals form:
1. __Cooling of molten rock__
2. __Precipitation out of liquids__
3. __Existing minerals are transformed by heat and pressure__