minerals vocabulary words

Question 1

mineral

Answer 1

a substance that is formed naturally in the earth, is inorganic, has a definite chemical composition and has a crystal structure

Question 2

streak

Answer 2

the color of a mineral’s powder when it is rubbed against a porcelain plate

Question 3

luster

Answer 3

the way the surface of a mineral reflects light

Question 4

inorganic

Answer 4

not derived from living matter

Question 5

crystal

Answer 5

a solid formation that follows a pattern

Question 6

hardness

Answer 6

the ability of a mineral to scratch or be scratched by another mineral

Question 7

cleavage

Answer 7

the tendency of crystals and minerals to break along definite planes resulting in smooth surfaces

Question 8

fracture

Answer 8

the appearance of a freshly broken surface on a mineral that has a rough or irregular surface

Question 9

mohs hardness scale

Answer 9

a hardness scale used to classify minerals

Question 10

formula

Answer 10

a set of chemical symbols showing the makeup of a chemical compound