Rocks and Minerals Flashcards
mineral
a naturally formed inorganic solid that has a definite crystal line structure
element
a substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
compound
a substance made up of atoms of two or more different elements joined by chemical bond
crystal
a solid whose atoms ions or molecules are arranged in a definite pattern
color
a way to identify different rocks and minerals
luster
the way in which a mineral reflects light
streak
the color of the powder of a mineral
cleavage
the splitting of a mineral along smooth flat surfaces
fracture
the matter in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces
density
the ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume of the substance
ore
a natural mineral whose concentration of economically valuable minerals is high enough for the material to be mined profitably
metallic minerals
minerals that have shiny surfaces that do not let light pass through
non-metallic minerals
minerals that aren’t shiny and let light pass through them
gemstones
pretty minerals
igneous rock
formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava
