What are the 2 most important characteristics used to identify rocks?

What are the 2 most important characteristics used to identify rocks?

The following properties are very useful for identification purposes: Hardness. Cleavage. Luster.

What property can be used to identify an unknown mineral Site 2?

hardness
Table 2. With a Mohs scale, anyone can test an unknown mineral for its hardness. Imagine you have an unknown mineral. You find that it can scratch fluorite or even feldspar, but apatite scratches it. You know then that the mineral’s hardness is between 5 and 6.

What are the six characteristics used to identify rocks?

Most minerals can be characterized and classified by their unique physical properties: hardness, luster, color, streak, specific gravity, cleavage, fracture, and tenacity.

Which is properties were most useful for identifying minerals?

Color, luster, streak, hardness, cleavage, fracture, and crystal form are the most useful physical properties for identifying most minerals. Other properties-such as reaction with acid, magnetism, specific gravity, tenacity, taste, odor, feel, and presence of striations-are helpful in identifying certain minerals.

Which is more reliable a color or a streak of a mineral?

Streak is the color of a mineral’s powder. Streak is a more reliable property than color because streak does not vary. Minerals that are the same color may have a different colored streak. Many minerals, such as the quartz in the Figure 3, do not have streak. To check streak, scrape the mineral across an unglazed porcelain plate (Figure 5).

How can you tell the color of a mineral?

The color of the streak left by the mineral is sometimes different from the color of the mineral itself. A streak test comes in handy when identifying minerals such as hematite. Hematite can be found in various colors from black to red, but it always leaves a red streak.

How are growth patterns used to identify minerals?

Sometimes, growth patterns, called the mineral habit, disguise the ideal form of the crystal. However, these habits can also aid in identification. Some commonly found habits include: botryoidal (which resembles a cluster of grapes), striated (parallel grooves on crystal faces), and acicular (needlelike).