Chapter 1 Quiz
1. All the following properties of minerals are used for identification except d .
a. streak
b. luster
c. hardness
d. melting point
2. Quartz can scratch all of the following except c .
a. glass
b. calcite
c. topaz
d. nail
3. A naturally occurring inorganic substance with a definite chemical composition is a
b .
a. rock
b. mineral
c. table salt
d. charcoal
4. Having 3 planes of cleavage is an identifying property of which mineral(s)?
a. Galena
b. Calcite
c. Halite
d. All of the above
5. Metallic minerals are all a .
a. opaque
c. waxy
c. dull
d. resinous
6. The way light reflects off a mineral’s surface is referred to as its c .
a. hardness
b. texture
c. luster
d. streak
7. If a mineral is permitted to grow unhindered during its formation, the resulting shape will
always
be its c .
a. cleavage
b. fracture
c. crystal form
d. b and c
8. All magnetic minerals are also b .
a. nonmetallic
b. metallic
c. vitreous
d. dull
9. The tool used to determine the color of the powder of mineral is a a .
a. streak plate
b. glass plate
c. compass
d. bottle of weak acid
10. A mineral that can scratch a nail but that cannot scratch glass is d .
a. calcite
b. quartz
c. gypsum
d. apatite
11. Which mineral is metallic?
a. Calcite
b. Quartz
c. Hematite
d. Fluorite
12. The cubic shape identifies a mineral that has d .
a. 3 planes of cleavage
b. cleavage planes intersecting at 90°
c. an absence of fracture surfaces
d. All of the above
13. The mineral quartz is a .
a. the most abundant mineral in the earth’s crust
b. metallic
c. scratched by a nail
d. harder than a diamond
14. A unique property of what mineral is double refraction?
a. Dolomite
b. Pyrite
c. Augite
d. Calcite
15. The following statements are true of all metallic minerals except which?
a. They have a dark streak.
b. They are opaque.
c. They contain a metal.
d. They evidence the property of magnetism.
16. All of the following are minerals except which? d .
a. Gold
b. Silver
c. Quartz
d. Coal
17. The minerals dolomite and calcite are best distinguished from one another by
a .
a. an acid test
b. cleavage
c. color
d. crystal shape
18. Gold settles to the bottom of a miner’s pan because of its
a. color
b. cleavage
c. crystal shape
d. high specific gravity
19. Any object with a specific gravity of less than 1 will b .
a. sink
b. float
c. turn color
d. exhibit fracture
20. Minerals that have the element d in their chemical composition may have an
odor akin
to that of rotten eggs.
a. silicon
b. sodium
c. chlorine
d. sulfur
Lab Samples: Answer the following questions using the information in the student chart for
mineral Samples A-L.
21. The cleavage of Sample K is d .
a. 3 planes at 90°
b. 3 planes not at 90°
c. 1 plane of cleavage
d. conchoidal fracture
22. Which sample has 1 plane of cleavage?
a. Sample A
b. Sample C
c. Sample J
d. Both b and c
23. Which sample effervesces with acid?
a. Sample A
b. Sample L
c. Sample I
d. Sample D
24. Which is true of Samples G and L?
a. Their specific gravity is very light.
b. They have a nonmetallic luster.
c. They have a metallic luster.
d. They effervesce with weak acid.
25. Which is true of Sample E?
a. It cannot be scratched with a fingernail.
b. It can be scratched with a fingernail.
c. It can scratch glass.
d. It is magnetic.
26. Which sample exhibits fracture?
a. Sample J
b. Sample B
c. Sample D
d. Sample H
27. The crystal form of Sample H is the same as that of .
a. Sample I
b. Sample J
c. Sample K
d. Sample B
28. Samples J and C both have .
a. 3 planes of cleavage
b. a pearly luster
c. a heavy specific gravity
d. a metallic luster
29. Which sample affects the movement of a compass needle?
a. Sample L
b. Sample J
c. Sample K
d. Sample B
30. Which sample will have 2 planes of cleavage at 90°?
a. Sample I
b. Sample J
c. Sample K
d. Sample B
True / False
31. The gas released when weak acid reacts with calcite is oxygen.
a. True
b. False
32. All magnetic minerals will have the element iron in their chemical composition.
a. True
b. False
33. The largest commercial use of the mineral halite is table salt.
a. True
b. False
34. The fingernail can scratch the mineral calcite.
a. True
b. False
35. The mineral scale of hardness was named after the famous scientist Von Verner.
a. True
b. False
36. Crystal shape refers to how a mineral breaks.
a. True
b. False
37. Halite has three plans of cleavage at 90°.
a. True
b. False
38. Biotite and muscovite have 1 plane of cleavage in common.
a. True
b. False
39. The specific gravity of the mineral is estimated by moving the mineral from hand to hand.
a. True
b. False
40. The mineral talc is 1 on Mohs scale of hardness and has a soapy feel to it.
a. True
b. False
41. Why is color not the best identifying characteristic for a mineral?
