A streak plate may be used to identify which mineral property?(1 point) Responses color color luster luster cleavage cleavage tenacity
The correct answer is color. A streak plate is used to determine the color of the streak left by a mineral when it is scraped on the surface of the plate. This can provide important information for mineral identification.
A streak plate may be used to identify the color property of a mineral.
A streak plate is primarily used to identify the property of color in minerals. The color of a mineral's streak refers to the powdered form of the mineral left behind when it is scraped across the surface of a streak plate.
To identify the mineral's color using a streak plate, you would follow these steps:
1. Obtain a streak plate, which is typically a piece of unglazed porcelain or ceramic material.
2. Choose a mineral sample whose color you want to identify.
3. Hold the streak plate firmly in one hand and the mineral sample in the other hand.
4. Place the mineral sample against the surface of the streak plate.
5. Apply pressure and slide the mineral sample across the streak plate.
6. Observe the color of the powder left behind on the streak plate.
The color of the powdered streak can be different from the color of the mineral itself. This is because some minerals have different color pigments in their powdery form, which can be a useful diagnostic tool in mineral identification.