Video Demos

The Bottom Line on Video Resources - Here on Top!

Bottom Line: Short instructional videos may be useful to students as a pre-lab assignment, as an in-lab guide to tests and procedures, as an out-of-lab review, etc. 

Errors/Suggestions: Contact Scott Brande (see footer).

Uncertainty or Failure of Test Results

Importance of Test Procedure

• Identifying a mineral by name requires making observations to determine a sample's physical and chemical properties.

• Physical samples may be tested with relatively inexpensive and common materials, such as a porcelain tile, a piece of glass, a magnet, a flashlight, etc.

Test results are subject in part to correctly conducting a test procedure. For example, if an insufficient amount of vertical force is used to test a sample for its relative hardness on a glass plate, no scratch may develop and the test result will be negative, even if the mineral is in fact harder than a glass plate.

These instructional videos include narration that focuses on procedural details necessary for preventing a failure of observation.

Video Resources You Can Use Elsewhere

• You may freely copy, paste the URL or embed any video for your use elsewhere (e.g., a document, web page, etc.).

• As a courtesy, if you use or distribute any video URL, I would appreciate a short note. Easy click to contact:  mailto:soskarb@gmail.com 

More geovids at: http://www.youtube.com/c/ScottBrande  

Mineral Identification Videos - Background and Demonstrations

M01-Mineral Identification Introduction

M02-Luster

M03-Mohs Hardness

M04-Demostration Mohs Hardness

M05-Testing Fingernail Hardness

M06-Colors of Minerals

M07-Demostration Fracture and Cleavage

M08-Demostration Magnetism

M09-Demonstration Acid Test

M10-Student vs Museum Samples

M11-Identification Strategies I

M12-Mineral Identification WrapUp