Once again rocks and/or minerals How could you determine whether
an unknown substance is a mineral?

you can classify a mineral by its appearance and other properties. The presence of a mineral is defined by the color and luster, and the color of the powdered mineral is described by the band. Every mineral has a distinctive density. To compare the hardness of rocks, the Mohs Hardness Scale is used.

Explanation:

Luster, hardness , colour , clevage and magnetism

Explanation:

1. Luster makes sure the light is reflected by the mineral.

2. On the 10-point Mohs scale, which is basically a scratch test, hardness is measured. Take an unidentified mineral and scrape it like a fingernail with an object of known hardness.

3. Zurite, for instance, is often a deep blue, and malachite is gray.

4. In minerals that appear to divide along one or more flat surfaces or planes, cleavage may be observed.

5. Magnetite, for instance, has a heavy pull that even weak magnets can draw. But there is only a poor attraction to other minerals, particularly chromite (a black oxide) and pyrrhotite (a bronze sulfide.)

a rain shadow is a dry region of land on the side that is protected against the prevailing winds of a mountain range. the prevailing winds are the winds that occur most of the time in a particular place of the earth

prevailing winds carry air toward the mountain range. as the air rises up over a mountain range, the air cools, water vapor condenses, and clouds form. on this side of the mountains, called the windward side, precipitation falls in the form of  rain  or snow. this dry air produces a  rain shadow.