Explain why color was not a good identifier with the Quartz Necklace.
Explain how glass is used to help ID minerals.
Define fracture according to the YouTube. Give TWO examples of fracture that were mentioned in the YouTube.
What is the purpose of using a black AND white streak plate?
What is the very unique way you can identify Halite?
Color was not a good identifier with the Quartz Necklace because the necklace was made of multicolored quartz beads. While individual quartz crystals typically have a colorless or white appearance, the variation in color within the necklace made it difficult to rely on color as a distinguishing characteristic.
Glass is used to help identify minerals because it has certain chemical and physical properties that are similar to those of many minerals. By observing how a sample of glass behaves under certain conditions, such as its reaction to heat or its hardness, geologists can make comparisons to known mineral properties and potentially identify the mineral based on these similarities.
Fracture, according to the YouTube video, is the way a mineral breaks or fragments when it's broken or subjected to force. Two examples of fracture mentioned in the video were conchoidal (shell-like) fracture, which is commonly seen in minerals like quartz or obsidian that break in smooth curved surfaces resembling a seashell, and fibrous fracture, which is observed in minerals like asbestos that break along fibrous or elongated crystalline structures.
The purpose of using a black and white streak plate is to determine the color of a mineral's powder. By rubbing a mineral against a black streak plate, the color of the streak left behind can be observed. This can be useful in cases where the color of the mineral itself might be misleading or variable.
Halite, also known as table salt, has a unique way of identification. When a small sample of halite is tasted, it will give a distinctive salty taste. This method is not recommended for general mineral identification, as tasting minerals can be potentially harmful, but it is a reliable indicator for halite due to its characteristic taste.