Terms Flashcards
What is the smallest part of an element, that has all the properties of the element?
Atom
What is an element?
A substance that can’t be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means?
What is a substance made up of atoms of 2 or more different elements joined by chemical means?
Compound
What is a native element?
A mineral that is composed of only one element
Whose atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite pattern?
A crystal
What is a silicate mineral?
A mineral that contains a combination of silicon, oxygen, and one or more metals
A mineral that doesn’t have compounds of silicon or oxygen?
Non-silicate mineral
What is the way in which a mineral reflects light?
Luster
What is the color of the powder of a mineral called?
It’s streak
What is a streak plate?
An unglazed piece of porcelain used to find a minerals streak
What is cleavage?
The splitting of a mineral along smooth, flat surfaces
What is fracture?
The manner in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces
What is the measure of the ability of a mineral resistance to scratching called?
Hardness
The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume of a substance is describing what?
It’s density
What is specific gravity?
The ratio of an objects density to the density of water
What is a natural material whose concentration of economically valuable is high enough for the mineral to be mined profitably called?
An ore
What is reclamation?
The process of returning land to its original condition after mining is over
What are nonmetallic minerals highly valued for their beauty and rarity rather than their usefulness called?
Gemstones
The mass of a gemstone?
What does one unit of this mass equal?
Carat
200mg
Anything that has mass and takes up space
Matter
What is a proton?
It has a positive charge, found in nucleus
What is a neutron?
Neutral, found in nucleus
What is an electron?
Negative charge, exists outside of the nucleus
What has a positive charge, contains protons and neutrons?
Nucleus
What is the atomic number?
It’s equal to the number of protons
How do you figure out the atomic mass?
What is in the nucleus protons plus neutrons
What is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that has a definite crystalline structure called?
A mineral
