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How To Identify Minerals…

How To Identify Minerals…. HARDNESS. Mohs hardness scale – ranks ten minerals from softest to hardest. 1 is softest, 10 is hardest. Use the scratch test. COLOR. Easily observed physical property Can only be used to identify minerals that always have their own characteristic color. STREAK.

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How To Identify Minerals…

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  1. How To Identify Minerals…

  2. HARDNESS • Mohs hardness scale – ranks ten minerals from softest to hardest. 1 is softest, 10 is hardest. Use the scratch test.

  3. COLOR • Easily observed physical property • Can only be used to identify minerals that always have their own characteristic color.

  4. STREAK • Streak is the color of its powder. • Streak color never varies even if colors do.

  5. LUSTER • Luster describes how a mineral reflects light from its surface. • Terms to describe luster – shiny, glassy, pearly, greasy, earthy.

  6. DENSITY • Mass in a given space, or mass per unit volume. • To calculate, divide mass by volume. • Density = mass / volume

  7. CRYSTAL SYSTEMS • 6 groups of crystals based on number and angle of the crystal faces

  8. CLEAVAGE and FRACTURE • Cleavage: splits easily along flat surfaces • Fracture: breaks apart in an irregular way.

  9. Special Properties • There are many special properties that can be used to identify minerals. • Flurescence, chemical reaction, optical properties, radioactivity, taste (don’t use), magnetism

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