Table of Contents
Which mineral property is least reliable but most noticeable in identifying minerals?
-Color is the least useful property for identification because it is the most obvious property. -Color is the least useful property for identification, as the same mineral type can be found in several different colors due to impurities in the mineral.
Why is streak a more reliable property than color in mineral identification?
The color of a mineral’s streak is not always the same as the color of the mineral sample, as shown in Figure 4. Unlike the surface of a mineral sample, the streak is not affected by weathering. For this reason, streak is more reliable than color as an indicator of a mineral’s identity.
Why is color the least reliable diagnostic mineral property?
Why is color the least reliable diagnostic mineral property? Color is the least reliable diagnostic mineral property because many minerals come in different varieties. For instance, amethyst and smoky quartz are all forms of quartz.
Which is the least useful property of a mineral?
Color is the least reliable diagnostic mineral property because many minerals come in different varieties. For instance, amethyst and smoky quartz are all forms of quartz. Therefore, color may hint at the type of mineral but should be used in conjunction with other tests such as hardness and crystal form.
Why are opaque minerals more difficult to identify?
In opaque minerals, the color tends to be more consistent, so learning the colors associated with these minerals can be very helpful in identification. Translucent to transparent minerals have a much more varied degree of color due to the presence of trace minerals. Therefore, color alone is not reliable as a single identifying characteristic.
What are the properties of rocks and minerals?
1 Color 2 Streak 3 Hardness 4 Cleavage or Fracture 5 Crystalline Structure 6 Diaphaneity or Amount of Transparency 7 Tenacity 8 Magnetism 9 Luster 10 Odor