Earth Science/ Earth & Life Science

Name: ___________________________ Date: ____________

Year Sec: _______________
Multiple Choice: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the letter on a separate sheet of
paper.
_____ 1. Which of the following minerals always appears to be darker in color than the other
minerals in the list?
A. Quartz B. Plagioclase C. K-feldspar D. Calcite E Biotite
_____ 2. Which of the following minerals can occur in a multitude of colors, but always exhibits
conchoidal fractures, and is commonly translucent?
A. Hornblende B Pyroxene C Olivine D. Quartz E. K-feldspar
_____ 3. Which of the following minerals display one direction of well-developed cleavage?
A. Quartz B Calcite C. Galena D. Biotite E. Pyroxene
_____ 4. Which property refers to the resistance of minerals to scratching?
A. Luster B. fracture C. Cleavage d. Hardness
_____ 5. In its powdered form, the mineral hematite is reddish. Which mineral property is
described?
A. Luster B. hardness C. streak D. color
_____ 5. Which is NOT a property that can be used to identify a mineral?
A. Hardness B. opaque C. streak D. color
_____ 6. What is the property of mineral that reflects light on its surface?
A. Streak B. Crystal form C. luster D. opaque
_____ 7. What constitutes the size, shape and arrangement of minerals grains in a rock?
A. Cement B. Texture C. Porosity D. crystal form
_____ 8. One of the most abundant minerals on Earth is Quartz. Which physical property of
quartz could not be used to verify its authenticity?
A. Crystal form B. color C. hardness D. Cleavage
_____ 9. Which of the following is Not a reliable physical property of minerals?
A. Specific gravity B. hardness
B. Color D. cleavage
_____10. Scientist use a scale of 1-10 to show the hardness of a mineral. What number would
be given to the hardness?
A. 2 B. 5 C. 8 D. 10
_____ 11. An unknown mineral sample was scratched by quartz, what is the appropriate
observation?
A. It is softer than quartz C. It is harder than quartz
B. It has the same hardness as quartz D. It is neither hard nor soft
_____12. The specific gravity of hematite is 7, What does this means?
A. It is 7 times lighter than an equal volume of water.
B. It is 7 times harder than talc
C. It is 7 times darker in color
D. It is 7 times heavier than an equal volume of water
_____13. Which mineral tends to break if you describe the direction?
A. Specific gravity C. streak
B. Hardness D. cleavage
_____14. Which of the following is the source of our table salt?
A. Sulfur C. halite
B. Talc D. serpentine
_____15. Given the list of minerals below, what is the correct arrangement from hardest to
softest according to Moh’s scale?
1. Quartz 2. Calcite 3. Flourite 4. Gypsum
A. 1,3,2,4 B. 1, 3, 4. 2 C. 4, 2, 3, 1 D. 4, 2, 1, 3

II. Puzzle: Minerals and Products

Find the unscrambled products below.

T C P I P E X D V J A N E L A G
O E L C T R O N I C S S L D S Y
O K M G S K I T T Y L I T T E R
T X U E P R A E R L N Y G S H D
H A L T Y L C E S I L V E R C M
P D S I U C T O P N I X J K T U
A B D R C T E L C O A L D B A S
S E D A A S P I R I N T C A M P
T S A B E U S B F J K U N D A Y
E U R O O F S H I N G L E S U G
P A O R F P H J L K E D V G C D
 C O P P E R N Z M N K G O L D P

III. Application: MINERALS IN USE

Many materials used every day by humans contain minerals. Remember if you cannot grow it, it
must be mined. Some of the rocks and minerals you have identified in previous learning
experiences reappear in the materials listed below. There are also some new minerals. Make a
list of minerals that you are familiar with. Make a second list of minerals that you are unfamiliar
with.
Material and Minerals

Material Minerals Needed to Produce Them

Carpet Calcium carbonate, limestone
Glass/Ceramics Silica sand, limestone, talc, lithium, borates, soda ash,
feldspar
Linoleum Calcium carbonate, clay, wollastonite
Glossy paper Kaolin clay, limestone, sodium sulfate, lime, soda ash,
titanium dioxide
Abrasive paper Garnet, emery, silica sand,
Toothpaste Calcium carbonate, limestone, sodium carbonate, fluorine
Lipstick Calcium carbonate, talc
Baby powder Talc
Hand cleaners Silica, pumice, diatomite, feldspar, limestone

Minerals that I am familiar with___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Minerals that I am unfamiliar with:
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Select one of the minerals that you are unfamiliar with and research the properties of the
minerals you selected.
1. Color

2. Streak

3. Luster
4. Cleavage/fracture

5. Hardness

6. Crystal form

7. Specific gravity