mineral vocab Flashcards
mineral
A substance that is formed naturally in the earth, is inorganic, has a defined chemical composition, and has a crystal structure
streak
The color of the minerals powder when it is rubbed against porcelain plate
luster
the way in which light reflects from a mineral’s surface
inorganic
not derived from living matter
crystal
the solid formation that follows a pattern
hardness
the ability of a mineral to scratch or be scratched by another mineral
cleavage
the tendency of crystals and minerals to break along defines planes resulting in smooth surfaces
fracture
the appearance of a freshly broken surface on mineral that has rough or irregular surface
mohs hardness scale
a hardness scale used to classify minerals
formula
a set of chemicals symbols showing the makeup of a chemical compound