Question

1. what is cleavage in minerals?

a. resistance to scratching
b. breaking along flat planes
c. shiny appearance
d. crystal growth pattern

1. which mineral is used to make table salt?

a. halite
b. calcite
c. gypsum
d. feldspar

1. which mineral reacts with acid (fizzes)?

a. quartz
b. calcite
c. talc
d. magnetite

1. which property is most reliable for identifying minerals?

a. color
b. hardness
c. size
d. weight

1. which mineral is the main source of aluminum?

a. bauxite
b. hematite
c. galena
d. magnetite

Explanation:

Question 7

Cleavage in minerals is defined as the tendency of a mineral to break along flat, smooth planes. Option A is hardness (resistance to scratching), C is luster (shiny appearance), D is about crystal growth. So B matches the definition.

Table salt is sodium chloride, and the mineral halite is NaCl. Calcite is calcium carbonate, gypsum is calcium sulfate dihydrate, feldspar is a group of aluminosilicate minerals. So halite (A) is used for table salt.

Calcite (calcium carbonate, \( \text{CaCO}_3 \)) reacts with acid (like HCl) to produce \( \text{CO}_2 \) gas, causing fizzing. Quartz (silicon dioxide) is inert to acid, talc is a magnesium silicate, magnetite is an iron oxide—neither react with acid like calcite.

Answer:

B. Breaking along flat planes

Question 8