With nearly 3000 different known minerals, you might think that identifying mineral specimens would be difficult. Actually, it is usually fairly easy. Many of those 3000 minerals are very rare, only found in very limited areas. If you can learn to identify twenty or thirty of the most common minerals, you will be able to identify most of the specimens that you are likely to find.

This experiment came from researching an experiment on cooked vegetables. As I was boiling each vegetable sample, I had quite a bit of time to watch the water boil. If you have ever watched a pot of water boil, did you notice all the strange things the bubbles did? No? Then it is time to go back to the stove and boil some water.