1. Which properties of a mineral describe the way it breaks apart?
2. A mineral looks dry and chalky. Why sort of luster does it have?
3. What causes a mineral to have the properties that is has?
4. You are trying to identify a mineral sample. Apatite scratches the surface of the mineral. Which mineral would you use next to text the mineral’s hardness—fluorite or feldspar? Explain your reasoning.
5. Why is streak more reliable than color when identifying a mineral?
6. You have two mineral samples that are about the size of a golf ball. Mineral A has a density of 5 g/cm3. Mineral B is twice as dense as Mineral A. What is the density of Mineral B?
7. Why do some minerals cleave along certain planes?