3.2/3.3 Rocks and Minerals Flashcards
Luster
The way a mineral reflects light
Cleavage
A mineral’s ability to split easily along flat surfaces.
Naturally Occurring
Occurs in nature; not man made
Solid
Definite shape and volume
Inorganic
Not formed from living things or the remains of living things
Crystal Structure
The arrangement of atoms in a orderly and repeating pattern
Fracture
The way a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way
Igneous Rock
A type of rock that forms from the cooling of magma or lava
Intrusive Igneous Rock
Igneous rock that forms when magma rises up and cools in a place underground; creates large coarse particles because it cools slowly
Extrusive Igneous Rock
Igneous rock that forms when lava rises up and cools above the surface; creates small, fine particles because it cools too quickly to get big
Foliated Metamorphic Rock
A metamorphic rock with a texture that gives the rock a layered appearance
Definite Chemical Composition
Always contains certain elements in definite proportions
Color
Outside look of a mineral - not reliable by itself
Streak
The color of a mineral’s powder
Density
How tightly packed the atoms are
Nonfloated Metamorphic Rock
Metamorphic rock that does not exhibit a banded or layered appearance
Mohs Hardness Scale
A scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals
Hardness
A measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched
Sedimentary rock
A type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or remains are pressed and cemented together
Metamorphic rock
A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reactions.
