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however many light colored minerals can be discoverd by small amount of impurities
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Why is color considered to be the worst property to use when identifying a mineral?
the color of a mineral specimen can vary, depending on many variables. however, other properties of identifying a mineral are more trustworthy and stable.
What properties would you use to determine whether two minerals are different minerals?
You could use the streak color, whether it has cleavage or fracture, the texture, the luster, the hardness, the color, and lots of different properties.
Why do you need to know hardness and streak to identify minerals?
Any identifying characteristics help when you are dealing with an unknown mineral. You have to use all of the clues at your disposal to make a proper identification. Streak and hardness are 2 important tests.
How do you use rocks to find minerals?
the minerals are in the rocks
What are two pieces of criteria for identifying a mineral?
Two distinguishing characteristics of a mineral are its crystalline structure and its hardness. Other field tests would include a streak test and possibly a test of specific gravity. Color can also be of some use.
What properties can scienctist use to identify minerals?
Color
What properties can scientist use to identify minerals?
color
Why is color considered to be the worst property to use when identifying a mineral?
the color of a mineral specimen can vary, depending on many variables. however, other properties of identifying a mineral are more trustworthy and stable.
Why is color not a good property to use to identify mineral?
because the color of a mineral can be the same as some other minerals but all minerals have a different property between them
Why is color not a good mineral property to use to identify minerals?
Simply because colour has nothing to do with any other property of the substance in question.
What properties would you use to determine whether two minerals are different minerals?
You could use the streak color, whether it has cleavage or fracture, the texture, the luster, the hardness, the color, and lots of different properties.
Why is color commonly unreliable property for identifying minerals?
Although most people think of color as an important characteristic of a specimen, it is not very useful in identifying a mineral.color is one of the physical properties most commonly used to describe minerals,but it is not a very good property to use to identify mineralssome minerals are nearly always the same color like azurite (blue) and sulfur (yellow)many minerals come in a variety of colors - the changes are caused by slight chemical impurities or through exposure to heatcolor can change when the surface is exposed to moisture & air - it tarnishes or oxidizessome minerals have common names (varietal names) that describe a specimen with a certain coloreg. Quartz - rock crystal (colorless), smoky quartz (brown), citrine (yellow), amethyst (violet),rose quartz (pink)color can be described as metallic or non-metallic and is often described along with luster though they are 2 different characteristicsrocks are often distinctive or named because of a certain color which occurs because of their mineral content
Why can't color alone be use to identify most minerals?
Many minerals have similar color, and mineral color can be altered by trace amounts of impurities or by weathering. A better indicator would be the mineral's streak, which is the color of the mineral when powdered, although this characteristic can't be used alone in mineral identification.
Why is color not always a good way to identify minerals?
Color is not always a good way to identify minerals because some minerals change colors at certain temperatures. Some minerals have several colors and some are found in varied colors.
Give two examples of how a rocks color provides clues to the rocks mineral composition?
This is out of "Prentice Hall Science Explorer"MINERAL COMPOSITION AND COLOR"Rocks are made of mixtures of minerals and other materials. Some rocks contain only a single mineral. Others can contain several minerals. These minerals are known as rock-forming minerals.A rock's color provides clues to the rock's mineral comp. For example, granite is generally a light-colored rock that has high silica content. Basalt, is a dark colored rock that is low in silica. But as with minerals, color alone does not provide enough information to identify a rock.Geologists observe the shape and color of crystals in a rock to identify the minerals that the rock contains. In identifying rocks, geologists also use some of the tests that are used to identify mineral's. For example, testing the surface of a rock with acid determines whether the rock includes minerals made of compounds called carbonates."
What are ways geologists use to identify minerals?
they have to look at the mineral.see what color it is.see the shape.how does it feel to you........?
Why do we use streak plates to test minerals?
They show you the true color of the mineral. Small impurities can cause big changes in the color of a mineral.
