10 questions · about 3 min · free
Rock Identification Quiz
Ten real specimen photos, four names each. Learn the giveaway test for every one you miss.
10 questions · about 3 minutes
Questions are drawn from a pool of 81, so every attempt is different.
Rock identification is mostly pattern recognition, and the fastest way to build it is to look at a lot of specimens with the answers attached. This quiz shows you ten photographs drawn from the StoneSnap catalog (more than 80 rocks and minerals in the pool, so every attempt is different) and asks you to name each one.
Every answer, right or wrong, comes with the one-line diagnostic tip for that specimen and a link to its full identification guide. Score 9 or better and you have earned the Master Mineralogist badge.
How to get better at identifying rocks
Start with the five properties that solve most cases: luster (metallic or not), hardness (does it scratch glass?), streak color on unglazed porcelain, heft in the hand, and how it breaks (flat cleavage planes vs curved conchoidal fracture). Color is the least reliable property because most minerals come in several colors and many different minerals share one.
The classic beginner traps are pyrite for gold (pyrite is brassy, brittle and leaves a black streak), calcite for quartz (calcite fizzes in vinegar and is scratched by a knife), and dyed howlite for turquoise (color pools in the cracks). Our comparison guides cover each pair side by side.
Stumped by a real rock?
Photos in a quiz are the easy version; the rock in your hand is dirty, weathered and half-buried. StoneSnap identifies rocks, minerals and crystals from a phone photo and returns properties, value estimates and look-alikes in seconds, then saves the find to your collection.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are in the rock identification quiz?
Ten per attempt, drawn from a pool of more than 80 photographed specimens, so you can retake it and see new rocks each time.
Are the photos real specimens?
Yes. Every image is a photograph of a real specimen, credited to its photographer, from the same catalog that powers the StoneSnap app.
Is this quiz good for kids and students?
Yes. It suits middle school through introductory college geology. For classroom use, pair it with the rock types quiz and the Mohs hardness quiz.
