Question

Color is not very helpful in mineral identification because _____.

Answer 1

Some minerals tend to look alike.

Answer 2

Answer:

The answer is: Although color is useful as a means of identification, it can sometimes vary depending on the site where it is absorbed by certain wavelengths, and the same mineral can have different colors depending on whether its colors they are their own or induced, for these reasons it would not be very useful to identify them by color.

Explanation:

The color of a mineral is the property that it has of absorbing certain wavelengths, if it does not absorb any it is white, if it absorbs them all it is black. The minerals can have their own colors or induced by the presence of certain chromophores elements that are in the mineral as impurities (Fe, Mn, Cu, Cr, Co, Ni).

The properties that help geologists identify a mineral in a rock are: color, hardness, brightness, crystal shapes, density and cleavage.

The answer is: Although color is useful as a means of identification, it can sometimes vary depending on the site where it is absorbed by certain wavelengths, and the same mineral can have different colors depending on whether its colors they are their own or induced, for these reasons it would not be very useful to identify them by color.