Physical Properties of Minerals
There are different ways for people to identify minerals. A few physical properties that are used include hardness, luster and streak color. Clicking on the Physical Properties of Minerals title will open up an interactive slideshow that introduces students to some physical properties of minerals. This interactive slide show exemplifying different physical properties used to identify minerals is a great way to introduce the concept. The slide show also has an online quiz that can be completed with feedback to all incorrect answers.
HardnessHardness of a mineral how well a substance resists to scratching by another substance. The hardness of an object is measured by Mohs Hardness Scale, which starts with Talc at 1 and ends with diamond at 10 on the scale. This was selected to have students read what hardness is and sees how Mohs Hardness Scale works.
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Streak ColorThe streak test shows the color of powder left behind when a rock or mineral is rubbed on a streak plate. The color of the mineral does not always match the color left in the streak test. This PDF file is a content area reading for students to learn about the streak test, how it is done and to see some examples.
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CleavageCleavage is the manner in which a mineral breaks. If the mineral breaks along a flat, smooth, hard surface it has cleavage. The attached website is a great resource to see different minerals cleave and read common descriptions used when finding a mineral cleavage.
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ColorColor is the first step in describing and identifying a mineral. Many minerals vary in color, requiring this physical property to be combined with another one when identifying minerals. The attached website has numerous amounts of examples of the colors that minerals can be found in. It also exemplifies why color alone can not be used to classify minerals.
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lusterLuster lets a person know how light is reflected of a mineral's surface. Describing words for luster include, but are not limited to dull, metallic, glassy, earthy, and pearly. The attached website has great visuals to represent each of the describing words that go with a minerals luster.
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MagnetisimMinerals must contain certain elements to be magnetic. Using a magnet to try and move a mineral is a simple way to see if a mineral is magnetic or not magnetic. The attached website shows a simple activity that can be done at home to see if a rock or mineral you find is magnetic.
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DensityDensity is an important physical property of a mineral. Density is easily calculated by dividing the mass by the minerals volume. The volume can be found by using water displacement. The attached lesson plan has one doing a hands-on experiment to find and observe a minerals density.
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