Minerals vocab words Flashcards
Mineral
A substance that is formed naturally in the Earth, is inorganic, has a definite chemical composition, and has a crystal structure
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.
Inorganic
Not derived from living matter.
Crystal
A solid formation that follows a pattern.
Hardness
The ability of a mineral to scratch or to be scratched by another mineral.
Cleavage
The tendency of crystals and minerals to break along definite planes results in smooth surfaces.
Fracture
The appearance of a freshly broken surface on a mineral that is a rough or irregular surface
Mohs hardness scale
A hardness scale is used to classify minerals.
Formula
A set of chemical symbols showing the makeup of a chemical compounds.
