Mineral Vocabulary flash cards
Mineral
A substance that is formed naturally in the Earth, is inorganic, has a definite chemical composition and has a crystal structure
Inorganic
Not derived (created) from living matter
Crystal
A solid formation that follows a pattern.
Streak
The color of a mineral’s powder when it is rubbed against a porcelain plate.
Luster
The way the surface of a mineral reflects light
Hardness
The ability of a mineral to scratch or be scratched by another mineral.
Cleavage
The tendency of crystals and minerals to break along definite planes resulting in smooth surfaces.
Fracture
The appearance of a freshly broken surface on a mineral that has a rough or irregular surface.
Moh’s hardness scale
A hardness scale used to classify minerals.
Formula
A set of chemical symbols showing the makeup of a chemical compound.
