Investigation 4 “Take It For Granite”
Big Ideas
Q. Why do geologists use the property of
streak to help identify a mineral?
a. Streak is always the same for a
particular material, no matter what
color the sample is.
Q. How do you do a streak test?
a. Drag a mineral sample across a
streak plate to get a powdered
sample. Use a hand lens to check the
color of the powder.
Q. Why is it important to observe a
mineral’s luster, cleavage, and other
properties like magnetism?
a. Knowing more than one property
of a mineral makes it easier to
identify the mineral
Q. What do geologists use a mineral
properties table for?
a. You can use a mineral properties
table to help identify minerals.
Q. What is granite and what minerals does
it contain?
a. Granite is a rock made up of several
mineral, including feldspar,
hornblende, mica and quartz.