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