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gold and fools gold is the same color. Also for the color blind this would cause problems. So colors can be alike in diffrent minerals or minerals could have a natrual dye on them making color seem diffrent.

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Q: Why is color the most unreliable when identifying minerals?
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Which property is the most unreliable variable diagnostic property of minerals such as quartz?

Color


What is the most unreliable characteristic of a mineral?

Color, due to the effects of impurities, is the least reliable identifying mineral characteristic.


The most useful physical properties for identifying minerals are?

either color, cleavage, and crystal form or crystal form, cleavage, and streak


What mineral property is the least useful property?

The least effective property used to identify most minerals would be the color. The color of a mineral can be altered by impurities.


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

Related questions

Which property is the most unreliable variable diagnostic property of minerals such as quartz?

Color


What is the most unreliable characteristic of a mineral?

Color, due to the effects of impurities, is the least reliable identifying mineral characteristic.


The most useful physical properties for identifying minerals are?

either color, cleavage, and crystal form or crystal form, cleavage, and streak


What mineral property is the least useful property?

The least effective property used to identify most minerals would be the color. The color of a mineral can be altered by impurities.


Explain why color is not a good test dor distinguishing between pyrite and gold what test is most reliable dor identifying these two minerals?

Because they look alike


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 isn't the colour of minerals the most useful way of identifying them?

i hate you all


Is a minerals streak more reliable than color in identifying a mineral?

While Minerals may share apparent colours, most do not share both colour and hardness, as well as the fact that the colour can be more accurately identified from the mineral's powder.


Can most minerals be identified by color alone?

no, because many of the same minerals have the same color


What property is generally least useful in identifying minerals?

Density is the least useful property for identification because different specimens of the same type of mineral can vary in size. -Color is the least useful property for identification because it is the most obvious property.


What two things are not enough to distinguish most minerals?

color and appearance.


Are minerals classified by color?

Someone said, "No. Most minerals have a variety of different colors." but that isn't true. Minerals and rocks can be classified by color, streak, luster, cleavage, hardness, and specific gravity. Hope this helps! By: Fizzycandy10