Matter and Minerals Flashcards
study of minerals
Mineralogy
any naturally occurring inorganic solid that possesses an orderly crystalline structure
and a definite chemical composition that allows for some
variation.
Mineral
Minerals form through natural geologic processes. Synthetic materials— meaning those produced in a laboratory or by human intervention—are not considered minerals.
Naturally Occurring
Inorganic crystalline solids
Generally Inorganic
Only solid crystalline substances are considered minerals.
Solid substance
Minerals are crystalline substances, which means their atoms (ions) are arranged in an orderly, repetitive manner
Orderly Crystalline structure
Minerals are chemical compounds having compositions that can be expressed by a chemical formula.
Definite chemical composition that allows for some variation
Regularly shaped objects
Crystals
Any solid mass of mineral, or mineral-like, matter that occurs naturally as part of our planet.
Rock
minerals are joined in such a way that their individual properties are retained.
Aggregate
all matter, including minerals, is composed of minute building blocks
Atoms
a stable subatomic particle occurring in all atomic nuclei, with a positive electric charge
Proton
an uncharged elementary particle that has a mass nearly equal to that of the proton
Neutron
a stable subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.
Electron
physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. Electric charge can be positive or negative.
Electrical charge
electrons show that they move about the nucleus in regions
Principal shells
a single electron or one of two or more electrons in the outer shell of an atom that is responsible for the chemical properties of the atom
Valance electrons
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Atomic Number
a group of the same kind of atoms
Element
Elements are organized so that those with similar properties line up in columns, referred to as groups.
Periodic Table
Most elements join with atoms of other elements
Chemical compounds
Atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons until they are surrounded by eight valence electrons
Octet Rule
a transfer or sharing of electrons that allows each atom to attain a full valence shell of electrons.
Chemical bond
one atom gives up one or more of its valence electrons to another atom to form ions. An attraction of oppositely charged ions to one another, producing an electrically neutral ionic compound.
Ionic bond
positively and negatively charged atoms
Ions
a chemical bond formed by the sharing of a pair of electrons between atoms
Covalent bond
a chemical bond formed by the sharing of a pair of electrons between atoms
Metallic bond
they can be hammered into thin sheets
Malleable
they can be drawn into thin wires
Ductile
a material’s behavior when electromagnetic radiation (light) is incident on the material’s surface
Optical Properties
The appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral
Luster
Minerals that have the appearance of metals, regardless of color
Metallic luster