rocks and minerals Flashcards
(18 cards)
mineral
A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound having an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical properties. Common minerals include quartz, feldspar, mica, amphibole, olivine, and calcite.A mineral is a naturally occurring inorganic element or compound having an orderly internal structure and characteristic chemical composition, crystal form, and physical properties. Common minerals include quartz, feldspar, mica, amphibole, olivine, and calcite.
rock
he solid mineral material forming part of the surface of the earth and other similar planets, exposed on the surface or underlying the soil or oceans.
element
In chemistry, an element is a pure substance consisting only of atoms that all have the same numbers of protons in their nuclei. Unlike chemical compounds, chemical elements cannot be broken down into simpler substances by any chemical reaction
compound
A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules composed of atoms from more than one element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element is therefore not a compound.
crystal
a piece of a homogeneous solid substance having a natural geometrically regular form with symmetrically arranged plane faces.
color
usually 1st characteristic noticed about a mineral, but generally not reliable
luster
a gentle sheen or soft glow, especially that of a partly reflective surface.
streak
a long, thin line or mark of a different substance or color from its surroundings.
cleavage
a sharp division; a split.
fracture
A fracture is any separation in a geologic formation, such as a joint or a fault that divides the rock into two or more pieces. A fracture will sometimes form a deep fissure or crevice in the rock.
density
Density is defined as the mass of a substance per unit volume and is highly variable in crustal rocks. Rock density is a physical characteristic that is governed by the chemical composition (in situ minerals) and pore spaces of a specific rock or rock type
ore
Ore is a deposit in Earth’s crust of one or more valuable minerals. The most valuable ore deposits contain metals crucial to industry and trade, like copper, gold, and iron. Copper ore is mined for a variety of industrial uses. … Iron ore has been mined for thousands of years.
metallic minerals
These deposits can consist of a variety of metallic minerals containing valuable metals such as nickel (pentlandite), copper (chalcopyrite), zinc (sphalerite), lead (galena), and gold (occurs as a native element or as a minor constituent within other minerals) that are used in all aspects of our daily lives
non-metallic minerals
Nonmetallic minerals are, for example, sand, gravel, limestone, clay, and marble. Such materials lack metallic characteristics like good electric and thermic conductivity, luster, rigor, and malleability; they are, however, essential for many industries.
gemstones
a precious or semiprecious stone, especially one cut, polished, and used in a piece of jewelry.
igneous rock
Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word ignis meaning fire), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.
sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth’s surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles to settle in place.
metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock, in a process called metamorphism. … They may be formed simply by being deeply buried beneath the Earth’s surface, where they are subject to high temperatures and the great pressure of the rock layers above.
