Test your basic knowledge |

Mineral Identification Trivia

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Crystals form as...
Rocks cool
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak
Apatite
Fluorite

2. A smooth break indicates...
Vug
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak
Moh's scale
Cleavage

3. Glass has a hardness of...
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak
Fluorite
Topaz
3.5

4. An empty space which allows minerals to form crystals is a...
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle
Vug
Smell - taste - magnetism - blacklight - effervesces in cold acid
Fluorite

5. When a mineral is found in a rock - it is...
In matrix
Conchoil fracture
Diamond
Smell - taste - magnetism - blacklight - effervesces in cold acid

6. Copper pennies have a hardness of...
Rocks cool
Apatite
3
6.5

7. Most gems...
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak
Are minerals in their simplest form
Feldspar
Talc

8. Most gems...
Are minerals in their simplest form
6.5
Moh's scale
Topaz

9. 7 on Moh's scale
3
Apatite
Conchoil fracture
Quartz

10. What is the definition of a mineral?
Conchoil fracture
6.5
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle

11. Scale by which hardness is measured

12. List the main seven properties of identification.
Feldspar
2.5
6.5
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak

13. 1 on Moh's scale
Corundum
Are minerals in their simplest form
3.5
Talc

14. Fingernails have a hardness of...
Feldspar
Transparencies
2.5
Vug

15. A smooth break indicates...
Moh's scale
Transparencies
Cleavage
Topaz

16. List five other properties of identification
Gypsum
Smell - taste - magnetism - blacklight - effervesces in cold acid
Diamond
Moh's scale

17. A jagged break indicates...
Diamond
3.5
Fracture
Vug

18. When a mineral is found in a rock - it is...
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle
Fluorite
Topaz
In matrix

19. 7 on Moh's scale
6.5
Topaz
Moh's scale
Quartz

20. 6 on Moh's scale
3.5
Corundum
Feldspar
Quartz

21. Bauxite has...
Quartz
Conchoil fracture
Calcite
In matrix

22. What is an indicator of impurities?
Transparencies
Diamond
3
Vug

23. Glass has a hardness of...
3.5
Moh's scale
Diamond
6.5

24. 2 on Moh's scale
Are minerals in their simplest form
Smell - taste - magnetism - blacklight - effervesces in cold acid
Gypsum
Vug

25. 10 on Moh's scale
Diamond
3.5
Conchoil fracture
Corundum

26. 8 on Moh's scale
2.5
Smell - taste - magnetism - blacklight - effervesces in cold acid
Are minerals in their simplest form
Topaz

27. List the types of luster
Apatite
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)
3.5
Fracture

28. What is the definition of a mineral?
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle
Topaz
Are minerals in their simplest form
In matrix

29. List five other properties of identification
Smell - taste - magnetism - blacklight - effervesces in cold acid
Feldspar
Rocks cool
In matrix

30. 5 on Moh's scale
Transparencies
Apatite
Gypsum
2.5

31. 5 on Moh's scale
Apatite
Fracture
Transparencies
3.5

32. 3 on Moh's scale
Calcite
Diamond
3.5
3

33. 4 on Moh's scale
Fluorite
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)
Fracture
2.5

34. 10 on Moh's scale
6.5
Diamond
Moh's scale
Corundum

35. Nails and metal files have a hardness of...
Transparencies
Apatite
6.5
Feldspar

36. Scale by which hardness is measured

37. 6 on Moh's scale
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)
2.5
Feldspar

38. A jagged break indicates...
Talc
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle
Fracture
Corundum

39. Crystals form as...
Apatite
Rocks cool
Quartz
Vug

40. 1 on Moh's scale
Talc
Quartz
Conchoil fracture
Rocks cool

41. List the types of luster
Diamond
Rocks cool
2.5
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)

42. 2 on Moh's scale
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)
Rocks cool
Feldspar
Gypsum

43. What is an indicator of impurities?
Metallic - non-metallic (earthy - vitreous - crystal - glassy - waxy)
Cleavage
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle
Transparencies

44. 8 on Moh's scale
Quartz
Feldspar
Talc
Topaz

45. 4 on Moh's scale
Hardness - color - transparency and luster - heft - breakage - crystal habit - streak
Fluorite
Vug
Vug

46. 9 on Moh's scale
Corundum
Talc
Quartz
Talc

47. An empty space which allows minerals to form crystals is a...
Talc
Vug
Gypsum
Talc

48. 3 on Moh's scale
Are minerals in their simplest form
Naturally occurring - typically inorganic - specific composition; beginning component of the rock cycle
Cleavage
Calcite

49. Bauxite has...
In matrix
Corundum
Fracture
Conchoil fracture

50. Fingernails have a hardness of...
3.5
Talc
Topaz
2.5