SCIENCE 08 GEOLOGY Notebook Page E

EXPERIMENT # 1: IDENTIFYING MINERALS

PROBLEM:

1.To discover some properties useful in identifying minerals.

2.To identify samples of unknown minerals using these properties.

HYPOTHESIS:

It will be possible to distinguish minerals by their , , ,

, , , and with a predicted accuracy of correct out of ten samples.

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:

Loose and mounted samples of the following minerals:

Amphibole Calcite Galena Magnetite Quartz

Biotite mica Feldspar Graphite Pyrite Talc

The following apparatus and materials to test mineral properties:

Common nail Magnet Copper penny (dated prior to 2000)

Glass plate Streak plate Dilute hydrochloric acid in dropper bottle

PROCEDURE:

For each loose sample provided perform each of the following mineral identification tests and enter your observations and test results in Table I:

CAUTION:DO NOT REMOVE ANY SAMPLES FROM THE IDENTIFICATION CARDS. PERFORM ALL TESTS ON THE LOOSE SAMPLES. SAFETY GOGGLES MUST BE WORN TO PREVENT FLYING FRAGMENTS FROM ENTERING THE EYE.!

BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS WHEN HANDLING HYDROCHLORIC ACID AS IT IS A STRONG HIGHLY CORROSIVE ACID !

1. Record the colour of the sample.

2. Using your fingernail, attempt to scratch the sample. Repeat by attempting to scratch the sample with a copper penny, then a common nail.

3. Scratch the sample across the piece of glass plate.

4. Pull the sample firmly once across the streak plate. If a colour appears on the streak plate record the colour of the streak.

5. Bring a magnet close to the mineral sample collection. Record your observations in Table I.
  1. Place a drop of dilute hydrochloric acid solution on the sample and record what happens

OBSERVATIONS:

Record your observations for Procedures #1 - 6 in Table I.

EXPERIMENT #1: MINERAL IDENTIFICATION Page 2 Notebook Page E

DISCUSSION:

1. What properties were the most useful is distinguishing the mineral samples ?

2. Arrange the ten minerals in order from "softest" to "hardest" based on the results of the hardness test observed ? Group any that had approximately the same hardness.

3. List the samples in which it was possible to observe a definite crystal shape.

4. Explain why the "streak" colour may often not be the same colour as the original mineral?

5. In your report write "Refer to Table I. Using a "Mineral Identification Chart" and your observations from Table I identify each of the ten mineral samples by name and record your answers in the extreme right column Table I.

6. Only after completing your predictions compare your predicted identifications to the actual or correct identities of the samples mounted on the large display cards and determine the number of minerals out of ten that you had correctly identified.

CONCLUSION:

Make a judgment statement about your original hypothesis and answer the two questions in the problem. Answer the second problem by listing your predicted identities in a neat vertical column as follows:

Code NumberPredicted Mineral IdentityCorrect Mineral Identity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPERIMENT #1: MINERAL IDENTIFICATIONNotebook Page E

TABLE I: MINERAL IDENTIFICATION

MINERALCOLOURHARDNESSSTREAKMAGNETISMOTHER FEATURESPREDICTED

NUMBER(FEEL, SHAPE,HCl TEST)IDENTITY

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 

 

 

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