Earth Science Flashcards
What is Luster?
Luster is a
description of the way the mineral reflects light.
What is Transparency?
Transparency is a measure of the
amount of light that the mineral absorbs or allows to pass through.
What is Shape?
Shape is a mineral’s overall shape and how it appears in nature.
What is Color?
Color is a function of the wavelengths of light that the mineral reflects.
What is Streak?
Streak is the color of the mineral in its powdered form.
What is Cleavage?
Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to split along a flat plane
What is a Fracture?
A fracture is when minerals break along irregular surfaces.
What is Hardness?
Hardness is related to the strength of the bonds between atoms within the crystal.
What is Saturation?
Full to Capacity
What is Precipitate?
Something that comes out of a saturated solution.
What is Crystalize?
Crystalize means to harden.
What are the 3 types of rocks?
- Sedimentary
- Igneous
- Metamorphic
What is a Sedimentary Rock?
Sedimentary rocks are formed from pre-existing rocks or pieces of once-living organisms. They form from deposits that accumulate on the Earth’s surface. Sedimentary rocks often have distinctive layering or bedding.
What is an Igneous Rock?
Igneous rocks form when hot, molten rock crystallizes and solidifies. The melt originates deep within the Earth near active plate boundaries or hot spots, then rises toward the surface.
What is a Metamorphic Rock?
Metamorphic rocks started out as some other type of rock, but have been substantially changed from their original igneous, sedimentary, or earlier metamorphic form. Metamorphic rocks form when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot mineral-rich fluids or, more commonly, some combination of these factors
What criteria defines a mineral?
- Occurs Naturally
- Inorganic
- Solid
- Has a specific chemical composition
- Has a definite Crystalline Structure
Occurs Naturally
All minerals can be found in nature. Although diamonds can be made in a lab, they are still minerals because they also occur naturally.
Inorganic
If a compound forms only through biological processes, then it is not a mineral.
Solid
Although ice is a mineral, liquid water is not.
Has a specific chemical composition
Minerals are elements or compounds. You can write a chemical formula to describe their composition. Most rocks, on the other hand, are mixtures of minerals. You can’t write a single chemical formula for a rock.
Has a definite crystalline structure
The atoms in a mineral are arranged in a specific and repeating pattern. Minerals are elements or compounds.
