1. Rocks & Minerals Study Guide
Name: _______________________________ # _________ Date: ______________________
Rocks & Minerals Study Guide
Sharon wants to explain the rock cycle to a classmate. Which is the BEST way for her to do this?
A. Draw the rock cycle. (p. 43)
B. Show the classmate a rock.
C. Make a graph
D. Heat a rock in an oven.
Which is a scientist who studies rocks and minerals?
A. Biologist
B. Geologist (p. 47)
C. Meteorologist
D. Chemist
Which item would NOT help you to observe the properties of minerals?
A. Paper clip – can scratch or magnetic
B. Penny – can scratch
C. Thermometer
D. Hand lens – closer look
Jerry has an unknown mineral sample. Which is NOT a property he can use to identify the mineral?
A. Size – NOT a property ; others in lesson 1
B. Luster
C. Streak
D. Cleavage
5. A solid material made up of one or more minerals is
A. a shell
B. a rock – a, c, and d are all possible ingredients OF a rock!
C. sediment
D. soil

2. A. Weathering and pressure
Which is true about a diamond?
A. It is made of calcium.
B. It is the hardest mineral. (10 on Mohs – p. 18)
C. It is a nonmetallic mineral.
D. It can be scratched by talc.
Which causes sedimentary rock to change into metamorphic rock?
A. Weathering and pressure
B. Cooling and hardening
C. Cementing and weathering
D. Heat and pressure – other choices Are on p. 43!
Molten rock becomes igneous rock when molten rock
A. cools and hardens
B. is pressed into layers
C. melts
D. weathers
9. Which property can be used to tell if a mineral is metallic or nonmetallic?
A. Cleavage
B. Hardness
C. Luster
D. Color
Why does Sharon wear goggles when she tests mineral properties?
A. To see the minerals more clearly
B. To make the minerals look larger
C. To block out light
D. To protect her eyes – ‘test’ woud be scratching ; powder may fly.
The students in a class tested the properties of a mineral. They recorded
their observations in a chart. Then they wrote reports. Some of Juan’s
observations did not match those of the rest of the class. What should Juan
do?
A. Throw away his report.
B. Erase what he recorded.
C. Keep his observations the way he recorded them. (He may be the RIGHT one!!)
D. Change what he recorded to match others’ results.

3. Use the Mohs Hardness Scale to answer questions 12-15.
Which mineral can be scratched by fluorite? (Has to be ABOVE that mineral)
A. Apatite
B. Gypsum
C. Quartz
D. Topaz
A steel nail has a hardness of 6.5. Which mineral can be scratched by a steel nail?
A. Corundum
B. Diamond
C. Feldspar
What is the hardness of calcite?
Hardness: _3
What is the hardness of topaz?
Hardness: __ 8
What is the hardness of diamond?
Hardness: ___10
What is the hardness of apatite?
Hardness: ____5
Mohs Hardness Scale
Mineral
Hardness
Talc 1
Gypsum 2
Fingernail
Calcite 3
Copper Penny
Fluorite 4
Apatite 5
Glass
Feldspar 6
Steel Nail
Quartz 7
Topaz 8
Corundum 9
Diamond 10

4. Properties of Minerals
Use the picture below to answer question
Properties of Minerals
Luster
Hardness
Color
Cleavage
Other
Name
Nonmetallic C
Colorless, white
Yes
Bubbles when acid is placed on it
Calcite G
Colorless, beige, pink
Hardness very close to glass
Feldspar F
Tastes salty
Halite
Dark green to black
Splits easily
Hornblende
Dark brown, black, or silver white
Peels in thin sheets
Mica
Colorless, white, rose, smoky, purple brown No
Looks glassy, chips like glass
Quartz
White, greenish, to gray
Usually flaky
Talc
Streak
Metallic
Gray
Gray to black
Heavy for its size
Galena
Yellow
Golden yellow
Used for jewelry
Gold
Steel gray
Reddish
May have reddish patches
Hematite
black
Black
Magnetic
Magnetite
Brassy yellow
Greenish black
Looks like gold
Pyrite
18. Which mineral is metallic, gray, and is heavy for its size?
A. Quartz
B. Galena
C. Hematite
D. Pyrite
19. Which mineral is nonmetallic, has a hardness of F, and tastes salty?
A. Magnetite
B. Talc
C. Mica
D. Halite

5. 20 – 30 were answered and discussed in class
**20 – 30 were answered and discussed in class. Answers are on answer sheet that we made in class.
20. Which mineral is white and chips like glass?
A. Calcite
B. Feldspar
C. Quartz
D. Talc
21. Which mineral has cleavage and bubbles when acid is placed on it?
Which mineral is metallic, has a hardness of G, and a streak that is greenish black?
A. Magnetite
D. Pyrite
Minerals are found in which of the Earth’s layers?
A. Outer core
B. Inner core
C. Mantle
D. Crust
24. The color of a mineral when it is ground into a powder is called its
A. Cleavage
B. Hardness
C. Luster
D. Streak
If a mineral splits easily along flat surfaces, it is said to have
C. Facets
D. Luster

6. 26. How are rocks and minerals related?
A. They look alike.
B. They are made of the same thing.
C. Minerals are made of rocks.
D. Rocks are made of minerals.
27. To compare the hardness of different minerals, it would be BEST to find
A. the color of the minerals.
B. which minerals scratch other minerals
C. which minerals reflect light most strongly.
D. the samples that feel smoothest to the touch.
28. Gavin has two rocks. Both rocks are made up entirely of the same mineral. What other property of his two rocks is MOST LIKELY to be the same?
A. Size
B. Shape
C. Color
D. Weight
29. Which is NOT a type of rock?
A. Igneous
B. Metamorphic
C. Sedimentary
D. Fossil
30. Volcanoes form what type of rock?
A. Sedimentary
B. Igneous
C. Coal
D. Metamorphic