Name: _______________________________ # _________ Date: ______________________
Rocks & Minerals
Study Guide
1.
Sharon wants to explain the rock cycle to a classmate. Which is the BEST
way for her to do this?
A. Draw the rock cycle.
B. Show the classmate a rock.
C. Make a graph
D. Heat a rock in an oven.
2.
Which is a scientist who studies rocks and minerals?
A. Biologist
B. Geologist
C. Meteorologist
D. Chemist
3.
Which item would NOT help you to observe the properties of minerals?
A. Paper clip
B. Penny
C. Thermometer
D. Hand lens
4.
Jerry has an unknown mineral sample. Which is NOT a property he can use
to identify the mineral?
A. Size
B. Luster
C. Streak
D. Cleavage
5.
A solid material made up of one or more minerals is
A. a shell
B. a rock
C. sediment
D. soil
6.
Which is true about a diamond?
A. It is made of calcium.
B. It is the hardest mineral.
C. It is a nonmetallic mineral.
D. It can be scratched by talc.
7.
Which causes sedimentary rock to change into metamorphic rock?
A. Weathering and pressure
B. Cooling and hardening
C. Cementing and weathering
D. Heat and pressure
8.
Molten rock becomes igneous rock when molten rock
A. cools and hardens
B. is pressed into layers
C. melts
D. weathers
9.
Which property can be used to tell if a mineral is metallic or nonmetallic?
A. Cleavage
B. Hardness
C. Luster
D. Color
10.
Why does Sharon wear goggles when she tests mineral properties?
A. To see the minerals more clearly
B. To make the minerals look larger
C. To block out light
D. To protect her eyes
11.
The students in a class tested the properties of a mineral. They recorded
their observations in a chart. Then they wrote reports. Some of Juan’s
observations did not match those of the rest of the class. What should Juan
do?
A. Throw away his report.
B. Erase what he recorded.
C. Keep his observations the way he recorded them.
D. Change what he recorded to match others’ results.
Use the Mohs Hardness Scale to answer questions 12-15.
12.
Which mineral can be scratched
by fluorite?
A. Apatite
B. Gypsum
C. Quartz
D. Topaz
13.
A steel nail has a hardness of
6.5. Which mineral can be
scratched by a steel nail?
A. Corundum
B. Diamond
C. Feldspar
D. Topaz
14.
Mohs Hardness Scale
Mineral
Hardness
Talc
1
Gypsum
2
Fingernail
Calcite
2.5
3
Copper Penny
3.2
Fluorite
4
Apatite
5
What is the hardness of calcite?
Glass
5.5
Hardness: ________
Feldspar
15.
What is the hardness of topaz?
Hardness: ________
16.
What is the hardness of
diamond?
Hardness: ________
17.
What is the hardness of apatite?
Hardness: ________
6
Steel Nail
6.5
Quartz
7
Topaz
8
Corundum
9
Diamond
10
Use the picture below to answer question 18 - 22.
Properties of Minerals
Luster
Hardness
Color
Cleavage
Other
Name
Nonmetallic
C
Colorless, white
Yes
Bubbles when acid
is placed on it
Calcite
Nonmetallic
G
Colorless, beige, pink
Yes
Hardness very
close to glass
Nonmetallic
F
Colorless, white
Yes
Tastes salty
Halite
Nonmetallic
G
Dark green to black
Yes
Splits easily
Hornblende
Nonmetallic
F
Dark brown, black, or
silver white
Yes
Peels in thin
sheets
Mica
Nonmetallic
G
Colorless, white, rose,
smoky, purple brown
No
Looks glassy,
chips like glass
Nonmetallic
F
White, greenish, to gray
Yes
Usually flaky
Talc
Luster
Hardness
Color
Streak
Other
Name
Metallic
C
Gray
Gray to
black
Heavy for its size
Galena
Metallic
F
Yellow
Golden
yellow
Used for jewelry
Gold
Metallic
G
Steel gray
Reddish
May have reddish
patches
Hematite
Metallic
G
black
Black
Magnetic
Magnetite
Metallic
G
Brassy yellow
Greenish
black
Looks like gold
18. Which mineral is metallic, gray, and is heavy for its size?
A. Quartz
B. Galena
C. Hematite
D. Pyrite
19. Which mineral is nonmetallic, has a hardness of F, and tastes salty?
A. Magnetite
B. Talc
C. Mica
D. Halite
Feldspar
Quartz
Pyrite
20. Which mineral is white and chips like glass?
A. Calcite
B. Feldspar
C. Quartz
D. Talc
21. Which mineral has cleavage and bubbles when acid is placed on it?
A. Calcite
B. Feldspar
C. Quartz
D. Talc
22.
Which mineral is metallic, has a hardness of G, and a streak that is greenish
black?
A. Magnetite
B. Feldspar
C. Quartz
D. Pyrite
23.
Minerals are found in which of the Earth’s layers?
A. Outer core
B. Inner core
C. Mantle
D. Crust
24. The color of a mineral when it is ground into a powder is called its
A. Cleavage
B. Hardness
C. Luster
D. Streak
25.
If a mineral splits easily along flat surfaces, it is said to have
A. Cleavage
B. Hardness
C. Facets
D. Luster
26.
How are rocks and minerals related?
A. They look alike.
B. They are made of the same thing.
C. Minerals are made of rocks.
D. Rocks are made of minerals.
27.
To compare the hardness of different minerals, it would be BEST to find
A. the color of the minerals.
B. which minerals scratch other minerals
C. which minerals reflect light most strongly.
D. the samples that feel smoothest to the touch.
28.
Gavin has two rocks. Both rocks are made up entirely of the same mineral.
What other property of his two rocks is MOST LIKELY to be the same?
A. Size
B. Shape
C. Color
D. Weight
29.
Which is NOT a type of rock?
A. Igneous
B. Metamorphic
C. Sedimentary
D. Fossil
30.
Volcanoes form what type of rock?
A. Sedimentary
B. Igneous
C. Coal
D. Metamorphic