Properties of Minerals Vocabulary Flashcards

Front

a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition

Back

mineral

Front

a solid in which the atoms are arranged in a pattern that repeats again and again

Back

crystal

Front

not formed from living things or the remains of living things

Back

inorganic

Front

the color of a mineral's powder

Back

streak

Front

the way a mineral reflects light from its surface

Back

luster

Front

a mineral's ability to split easily along flat surfaces

Back

cleavage

Front

the way a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way

Back

fracture

Front

a scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals

Back

Mohs hardness scale

Front

a hollow rock inside which mineral crystals have grown

Back

geode

Front

the process by which atoms are arranged to form a material with a crystal structure

Back

crystallization