Presentation is loading. Please wait.

Presentation is loading. Please wait.

ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTIES OF MINERALS How Are Minerals Identified?

Similar presentations


Presentation on theme: "ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTIES OF MINERALS How Are Minerals Identified?"— Presentation transcript:

1 ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTIES OF MINERALS How Are Minerals Identified?

2 Color Some minerals can be identified by their color: Malachite is always green; Azurite is always blue; Rhodonite is always red or pink.

3 Color Most minerals occur in more than one color. Fluorite can be clear, white, yellow, blue, purple, or green.

4 Color But many minerals are the same color, so it is not the best method to use for identification. Which one is gold and which is pyrite?

5 Streak The streak of a mineral is the color of its powder. The color of the streak does not always match the color of the mineral.

6 Luster Words used to describe how light is reflected from a mineral’s surface Metallic: Glassy:

7 Luster Earthy:Waxy: Silky: Pearly:

8 Hardness The hardness of a mineral is rated on the Mohs hardness scale.

9 Hardness Hardness is determined by a scratch test. A mineral can scratch any mineral softer than itself. It can be scratched by any mineral harder than itself.

10 Density Density is the mass per volume

11 Density No matter how large or small a mineral is, its density is always the same. (If its volume increases, so does its mass) ÷

12 Crystal Structure When the atoms in a mineral line up in a regular pattern, it is called crystal structure. Different minerals have crystals that are shaped differently. HaliteQuartzDiamond

13 Cleavage Cleavage is when a mineral splits easily along flat surfaces

14 Fracture Fracture describes how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way (the opposite of cleavage)

15 Special Properties Some minerals have special properties. They can bend light, conduct electricity, glow, or are magnetic.


Download ppt "ALL ABOUT THE PROPERTIES OF MINERALS How Are Minerals Identified?"

Similar presentations


Ads by Google