In this video, we talk about some important Earth Science vocabulary used to identify minerals.
We start with hardness, which is how easy or hard it is to scratch a mineral. Scientists use the Mohs hardness scale for this, which goes from 1 to 10. Talc is very soft at a 1, while diamond is extremely hard at a 10. If one mineral can scratch another, that means it’s harder.
Next, we look at luster, which is how light reflects off a mineral’s surface. Some minerals look shiny and metallic, while others look dull or glassy. Those are called nonmetallic lusters.
We also explain streak, which is the color of a mineral’s powder when it’s rubbed on a streak plate. This color is often different from the mineral’s outside color and is a better way to help identify it.
Finally, we compare cleavage and fracture. Cleavage means a mineral breaks along smooth, flat surfaces in the same way each time. If a mineral doesn’t do that, it breaks by fracture, creating rough or uneven surfaces. Quartz is a great example of a mineral that breaks by fracture.
Free Worksheet Earth Science Vocabulary ( Mineral Identification)
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