GEOL 1403 – Physical Geology Lab | Midterm Q&A (100+ Questions) – Mineral ID, Igneous, Sedimentary & Metamorphic Rocks

This document includes over 100 well-organized and fully labeled exam questions and answers from the GEOL /2026 Lab Midterm, focused on mineral and rock identification for Physical Geology. The lab-based Q&A covers essential properties of common minerals such as quartz (milky, smokey), biotite, calcite, halite, olivine, pyrite, galena, magnetite, and gypsum. Each mineral is described using key identifying criteria including color, streak, luster, cleavage, hardness, and specific gravity. The igneous rock section includes identification of rhyolite, basalt, granite, gabbro, obsidian, scoria, pumice, tuff, and more, while the sedimentary rocks section describes sandstone, shale, breccia, chert, limestone varieties (oolitic, chalk, fossiliferous, coquina), and coal types like peat and anthracite. The metamorphic rocks section covers schist, gneiss, marble, slate, soapstone, quartzite, and others, complete with diagnostic characteristics for lab exam recognition. This document is ideal for geology students preparing for lab practicals, midterms, or mineral and rock identification exams. It is also a useful reference for earth science educators and students in environmental studies, paleontology, or related sciences that involve geologic material classification. Keywords: geol 1403, geology lab, mineral identification, rock identification, streak, luster, cleavage, hardness, quartz, calcite, halite, feldspar, basalt, granite, tuff, gabbro, limestone, coal, shale, schist, slate, gneiss, quartzite, metamorphic rocks, sedimentary rocks, igneous rocks, specific gravity