Science Unit 4 Lesson 1 Flashcards
What is the definition of luster?
The way light interacts with the surface of a rock or mineral
What is the definition of vitreous?
Glassy
What is the defintion of hardness in a material?
The hardness of a mineral is its ability to resist scratching.
What scale is used to determined hardness?
Hardness can be measured using the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, developed by German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs. He assigned the values 1−10 to various minerals, with 1 being the softest and 10 being the hardest. Other minerals are ranked based on their ability to scratch
one another.
How do you find density using math?
The density of a substance is the ratio between its mass and its volume.
What an objects density?
An object’s density is related to whether it sinks or floats in a liquid. If the object sinks, it is more dense than the liquid. If it floats, it is less dense than
the liquid.
What does density refer to?
Density refers to how tightly an object’s atoms are packed together.
What is the luster of an object?
The luster of a rock or mineral sample is the way light interacts with its surface.
What does transparencey refer to in the case of luster?
Transparency refers to the amount of light that passes
through a sample.
What does transparent mean in the case of luster?
Transparent means that all light passes
through.
What does translucent mean refering to luster?
Translucent means that some light passes through.
What does opaque mean refering to luster?
Opaque means that no light passes through.
What does reflective mean reffering to luster?
Reflective means that light bounces off of a sample.
What does refraction mean refering to luster?
Refraction refers to how light bends as it passes through the sample.
What are the 2 types of luster?
There are two main types of luster: metallic and non-metallic.
What is metalic luster?
A rock or mineral that looks like a shiny
metal has metallic luster.
A rock or mineral that has metallic luster
has what traits?
A rock or mineral that has metallic luster
is opaque and reflective.
What is sub metalic luster?
A sample with submetallic luster has the appearance of a dull metal. Its surface is reflective but slightly dulled.
What is non metalic luster?
A rock or mineral with non-metallic luster doesn’t look like a metal at all. Non-metallic luster is divided into several sub-types.
Non-metallic luster sub-types:
- adamantine: translucent with a sparkly appearance
- dull: opaque, no reflection
- earthy: looks like soil or clay
- greasy: looks to be coated in oil
- pearly: has the sheen of a pearl
- resinous: looks like amber; not quite glassy
- silky: looks like silk; fine parallel fibers of
mineral - vitreous: looks like glass
- waxy: looks like wax
Which one mineral is known to repel from a magnetic field?
Bismuth
What is cleavage?
Cleavage refers to the tendency of a mineral to break along smooth planes.
What is fracture?
Fracture refers to the tendency of a mineral to break along surfaces that are not smooth.
What is the definition of magnetism?
How a mineral reacts when placed within a magnetic field
Rocks are composed of what?
Rocks are composed of minerals
What are minerals?
Minerals are inorganic solids that occur naturally
What is an element?
An element is a naturally occurring substance that can be broken down further through a chemical process
A mineral is made out of what?
A mineral is made out of 1 or more elements
What is so special about silica sand?
Silica has moisture-absorbing properties. This mineral is also abrasive, meaning it is rough and can used to polish a surface.
What is silica sand used for?
You may have seen silica gel packets, which rely on silica’s moisture-absorbing properties.
What does hydraulic fracturing, or framing, do?
A method of extracting oil and gas by injecting rocks with a liquid at high pressure.
_____ is pure silica and is used as a proppant in fracking–it props open the fractures within the rock.
Frac sand
What does frac sand do to the environment?
It affects sand dune ecosystems
What is phosphorus?
A necessary nutrient for all living things
