- You have two mineral samples that are about the size of a golf ball. Mineral A has a
density of 5 g/cm^3. Mineral B is twice as dense as Mineral A. What is the density of
Mineral B? - Why do some minerals cleave along certain planes?
Further Reading / Supplemental Links
- http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Regents_EarthScience(HighSchool)#Properties
of_Minerals - http://geology.csupomona.edu/alert/mineral/color.htm
- http://mineral.galleries.com/minerals/property/
- http://www.mindat.org/min-198.html
- http://geology.csupomona.edu/alert/mineral/streak.htm
- http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/collectors_corner/id/
- http://www.minerals.net/glossary/terms/r/resinous.htm
- http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Octahedron.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/
Vocabulary
cleavage The tendency of a mineral to break along certain planes to make smooth surfaces.
density How much matter is in a certain amount of space; mass divided by volume.
fracture The way a mineral breaks when it is not broken along a cleavage plane.
hardness The ability to resist scratching.
luster The way light reflects off of the surface of the mineral.
mineralogist A scientist who study minerals.
streak The color of the powder of a mineral.
Points to Consider
- Some minerals are colored because they contain chemical impurities. How did the
impurities get into the mineral? - What two properties of a mineral sample would you have to measure to calculate its
density?