GIA COLORED STONE
ESSENTIALS EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
COLORED STONE - answer Any gem material other
than diamond.
GEMOLOGY - answer The study of gems.
ORGANIC - answer Once living, or produced by a
living organism (plant or animal).
MINERALS - answer A natural, inorganic
substance with a characteristic chemical
composition and usually characteristic structure.
INORGANIC - answer Composed of, or arising
from, non-living matter.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS - answer Kinds and
relative quantities of atoms that make up a
material.
,DURABILITY - answer A gemstone's ability to
withstand wear, heat, and chemicals.
LUSTER - answer The appearance of a material's
surface in reflected light.
TRANSPARENCY - answer Degree to which a
material allows light to pass through it.
HARDNESS - answer How well a gemstone resists
scratches and abrasion.
TOUGHNESS - answer How well a gemstone
resists breaking, chipping, and cracking.
STABILITY - answer How well a gemstone resists
the effects of light, heat, and chemicals.
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE - answer Regular, repeating
internal arrangement of atoms in a material.
CHEMICAL FORMULA - answer Written description
of a material's chemical makeup.
, TRACE ELEMENTS - answer Atoms in a gem that
aren't part of its essential chemical composition.
AMORPHOUS - answer Lacking a regular crystal
structure.
SPECIES - answer A broad gem category based on
chemical composition and crystal structure.
VARIETY - answer A subcategory of species based
on color, transparency, or phenomenon.
PHENOMENON - answer An unusual optical effect
displayed by a gem.
GROUPS - answer A family of gems from several
closely related mineral species.
NATURAL GEMS - answer Gems produced by
natural processes, without human help.
LAB-GROWN GEM - answer A manmade (synthetic)
gem with essentially the same chemical
composition, crystal structure, and properties as
its natural counterpart.
ESSENTIALS EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
COLORED STONE - answer Any gem material other
than diamond.
GEMOLOGY - answer The study of gems.
ORGANIC - answer Once living, or produced by a
living organism (plant or animal).
MINERALS - answer A natural, inorganic
substance with a characteristic chemical
composition and usually characteristic structure.
INORGANIC - answer Composed of, or arising
from, non-living matter.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS - answer Kinds and
relative quantities of atoms that make up a
material.
,DURABILITY - answer A gemstone's ability to
withstand wear, heat, and chemicals.
LUSTER - answer The appearance of a material's
surface in reflected light.
TRANSPARENCY - answer Degree to which a
material allows light to pass through it.
HARDNESS - answer How well a gemstone resists
scratches and abrasion.
TOUGHNESS - answer How well a gemstone
resists breaking, chipping, and cracking.
STABILITY - answer How well a gemstone resists
the effects of light, heat, and chemicals.
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE - answer Regular, repeating
internal arrangement of atoms in a material.
CHEMICAL FORMULA - answer Written description
of a material's chemical makeup.
, TRACE ELEMENTS - answer Atoms in a gem that
aren't part of its essential chemical composition.
AMORPHOUS - answer Lacking a regular crystal
structure.
SPECIES - answer A broad gem category based on
chemical composition and crystal structure.
VARIETY - answer A subcategory of species based
on color, transparency, or phenomenon.
PHENOMENON - answer An unusual optical effect
displayed by a gem.
GROUPS - answer A family of gems from several
closely related mineral species.
NATURAL GEMS - answer Gems produced by
natural processes, without human help.
LAB-GROWN GEM - answer A manmade (synthetic)
gem with essentially the same chemical
composition, crystal structure, and properties as
its natural counterpart.
