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EnglandGeologyQuick questions
Elements, minerals and rocks
Quick questions on Identifying minerals by physical properties: hardness, cleavage, lustre and streak - Eduqas A-Level Geology
4short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are combining the properties?Show answer
No single property is decisive on its own; you build an identification by combining several. A glassy, colourless mineral with no cleavage, conchoidal fracture and hardness 7 is quartz. A pale mineral with two cleavages near 90 degrees and hardness 6 is a feldspar. A dark mineral with one perfect cleavage into flakes is a mica.
What is q1?Show answer
State the references used in the field for hardness 2.5, 3.5 and 5.5. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain why streak is more reliable than colour for identifying hematite. [2 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
Describe two quick tests that distinguish calcite from quartz. [2 marks]
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