Minerals vocabulary

Front

What is the Crystal System?

Back

The Crystal System refers to the classification of crystals based on their geometric shapes, which are determined by the arrangement of atoms. There are six main crystal systems: cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, hexagonal, monoclinic, and triclinic.

Front

What does Cleavage mean in mineralogy?

Back

Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat, even surfaces. This property is important for identifying minerals.

Front

What is the Mohs hardness scale?

Back

The Mohs hardness scale is a scale that ranks ten minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest) based on their ability to scratch one another.

Front

What is the significance of Color in minerals?

Back

Color is a characteristic used to identify minerals, but it can be misleading as many minerals can come in various colors due to impurities.

Front

What is Fracture in the context of minerals?

Back

Fracture refers to the way a mineral breaks when it does not break along cleavage planes. It can result in uneven or jagged surfaces.

Front

Define Hardness in mineralogy.

Back

Hardness is a measure of a mineral's resistance to scratching. It is an important property used in mineral identification.

Front

What is Streak in mineral identification?

Back

Streak is the color of the powder produced when a mineral is scraped across a hard surface, such as a porcelain plate.

Front

What is Density in relation to minerals?

Back

Density is the mass of a mineral per unit volume, often expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). It helps in identifying minerals.

Front

What are the six crystal systems?

Back

The six crystal systems are: 1) Cubic, 2) Tetragonal, 3) Orthorhombic, 4) Hexagonal, 5) Monoclinic, 6) Triclinic.

Front

What is the difference between Cleavage and Fracture?

Back

Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat surfaces, while fracture is the way a mineral breaks when it does not have cleavage.