Rocks and Minerals B/C

[vxpvm]

I just wanted to know what kind of tests you guys have gotten before? This event is not new, in its last year, but I'm just curious as to the different tests you guys have seen. Please reply!

Woah wait, are you sure it's the last year? Wow that sucks... I just ordered the rock kit haha. Well the tests that I've had or have been told about were all station based, so there would be a bunch of tables set up in a room with different minerals on each, and you'd have do identify them. Usually it isn't just one mineral or rock on a table, it'll be like four clear minerals or four metamorphic rocks or something. And then there are questions about the specimens, of course.

[darkdeserthighway]

I just wanted to know what kind of tests you guys have gotten before? This event is not new, in its last year, but I'm just curious as to the different tests you guys have seen. Please reply!

Woah wait, are you sure it's the last year? Wow that sucks... I just ordered the rock kit haha. Well the tests that I've had or have been told about were all station based, so there would be a bunch of tables set up in a room with different minerals on each, and you'd have do identify them. Usually it isn't just one mineral or rock on a table, it'll be like four clear minerals or four metamorphic rocks or something. And then there are questions about the specimens, of course.

Yeah, it's in its last year and the tests are usually run in stations, with a few questions per station.

[sofossils]

I was recently taking a practice test and confused amazonite with beryl. I was wondering if anyone knew the difference between these two minerals. Any help in distinguishing them would be greatly appreciated.

[darkdeserthighway]

I sent you a PM

[hexagonaria]

Simple question: which crystal system does quartz belong to?
The Audubon guide says hexagonal, which is what I always thought, but everywhere online it says trigonal. Anyone else have this problem?

[syo_astro]

Simple question: which crystal system does quartz belong to?
The Audubon guide says hexagonal, which is what I always thought, but everywhere online it says trigonal. Anyone else have this problem?

Perhaps someone can answer this better, but I thought there were effectively two structures of quartz, alpha (trigonal) and beta (hexagonal)?

[Skink]

So it seems.


Crystallography is a very cool field, but try not to get bogged down into this unless you're prepared to be a crystallographer for life.
Now, if you wanted an explanation as to why, I'd have to spend more than 5min thinking about that...

[darkdeserthighway]

What's the strangest sample you have ever seen?

[wiseowl63]

Yeah, it's in its last year and the tests are usually run in stations, with a few questions per station.[/quote]

So if this is rocks and minerals last year (that sucks by the way) then what is going to replace it. I was thinking fossils, but im not sure.

[technomario]

Good news about Rocks and Minerals going away is, that after 3 years of Fossils, it will be back. Unfortunately, I won't be in Science Olympiad at that time, since I will graduate High School.