McMullen Science Mineral Flashcards
(10 cards)
Mineral
A substance that is formed naturally in the earth, is inorganic, has a definite chemical composition and has a crystal structure.
Streak
The color of a mineral’s powder when it’s rubbed against a porcelain plate.
Luster
The way the surface of a mineral reflects light
inorganic
not derived from living matter.
Crystal
A solid formation that follows a pattern.
Hardness
the ability of a mineral to scratch or be scratched by another mineral
Cleavage
the tendency of crystals and minerals to break along definite planes resulting in smooth surfaces.
Fracture
the appearance of an freshly broken surface on a mineral that has a rough of irregular
mohs hardness scale
a scale used to classify minerals
Formula
A set of chemical symbols showing the makeup of a chemical compound.