Rock & Minerals Flashcards
mineral
a naturally formed inorganic solid that has a definite line structure
rock
the things you skip on water
element
a substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
crystal
a solid whose atoms, ions, or molecules area arranged in a definite pattern
compound
a substance made up of atoms of 2 or more different elements joined by chemical bonds
color
the shade of something
luster
the way in which a mineral reflect light
streak
the color of the powder of a mineral
cleavage
the splitting of a mineral along smooth, flat surfaces
fracture
the manner in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces
density
A ratio of mass to the volume of the substance
ore
a natural material whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be mined profitably
metallic minerals
minerals that have shiny surfaces
non-metallic minerals
minerals that have dull surfaces
gemstones
nonmetallic minerals
