Chapter 3 E1 - Earth Minerals Flashcards
a naturally occurring solid crystalline substance, usually inorganic, with a specific chemical structure
mineral
the sum of the mass of the protons and neutrons equals the
atomic mass
the number of protons in an atom equals
the atomic number
electrostatic attraction between ions of opposite charge formed through electron transfer;
ionic bonds
a bond formed between two atoms by sharing electrons
covalent bond
what type of bond is stronger, ionic or covalent
covalent
free electron sharing in metals that makes them very good conductors of electricity
metallic bonding
the process in which the atoms of a gas or liquid come together in the proper chemical proportions and in the proper arrangement to form a solid substance; forms minerals
crystallization
an atom or group of atoms that has an electrical charge, either positive or negative
ion
positively charged ion
cation
negatively charged ion
anion
minerals with alternative structures formed from the same chemical element or compound; give examples
polymorphs; diamond and graphite
name the give most common classes of rock forming minerals
silicates, carbonates, oxides, sulfides, and sulfates
a measure of the ease with which the surface of a mineral can be scratched
hardness
the tendency of a crystal to split along planar surfaces
cleavage
if a mineral has no cleavage planes then it is described as
fracture (usually conchoidal)
the way the surface of a mineral reflects light
luster
refers to the color of the fine deposit of mineral powder left on an abrasive surface when a mineral is scraped across it
streak
least reliable physical property
color
the shape in which individual crystals or aggregates of crystals grow
crystal habit
a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or in some cases non-mineral solid matter
a rock
describes the sizes and shapes of a rock’s mineral crystals or grains, and the way they are put together
texture
