Question

You are given a 50 g sample of a gray mineral with a metallic luster and easily visible orthorhombic crystals. You are able to scratch it with your thumbnail, but doing so requires a considerable amount of pressure. When you suspend it in water from a spring scale, the spring scale reads 39 g. It leaves a gray streak on a porcelain tile. What mineral is this probably a sample of?

A) Quartz
B) Calcite
C) Pyrite
D) Talc

Answer 1

The correct answer is option C Pyrite.The mineral sample is most likely Pyrite (C) based on the given characteristics. Pyrite leaves a gray streak on a porcelain tile.

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristics described in the question suggest that the mineral sample is most likely Pyrite (C) based on the given information. Pyrite has a metallic luster and easily visible orthorhombic crystals, which match the description. It is relatively hard and can be scratched with a considerable amount of pressure. Additionally, Pyrite leaves a gray streak on a porcelain tile.

Therefore, The correct answer is option C Pyrite.The mineral sample is most likely Pyrite (C) based on the given characteristics. Pyrite leaves a gray streak on a porcelain tile.