Chapter 2 - Mineralogy Flashcards
The study of minerals.
Mineralogy
The basis for the formation of rocks.
Minerals
It makes up the minerals and minerals make up rocks.
Matter (elements)
A naturally occurring combination of specific elements arranged in a particular repeating three-dimensional structure or lattice.
Mineral
These determine the physical properties of minerals.
Chemical formula and the Crystal lattice
The types and proportions of the chemical elements
Chemical Formula
The geometry of how the atoms are arranged and bonded together)
Crystal Lattice
Ten minerals make up most of the volume of the earth’s crust
Plagioclase, quartz, orthoclase, amphibole, pyroxene, olivine, calcite, biotite, garnet, and clay
Readily observable and certainly obvious, but it is usually less reliable than other physical properties.
Color
Describes the reflection of light off a mineral’s surface.
Luster
The standard names of luster
Metallic, glassy, pearly, silky, greasy, and dull
The color of a mineral’s powder. A more reliable property than color because this does not vary.
Streak
The strength with which a mineral resists its surface being scraped or punctured.
Hardness
In working with hand samples without specialized tools, mineral hardness is specified by __________.
Mohs hardness scale
The tendency of a mineral to break along certain planes to make smooth surfaces.
Cleavage
The cleavage properties of a mineral are described in terms of ________.
The number of cleavages and, if more than one cleavage, the angles between the cleavages
The possible number of cleavages a mineral may have.
1, 2, 3, 4, and 6
A break in a mineral that is not along a cleavage plane.
Fracture