Mineral Terms Earth & Space iScience Chapter 3

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Mineral

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A naturally occurring substance that is solid and inorganic, representable by a chemical formula, and has an ordered atomic structure.

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Silicate

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A mineral that contains silicon and oxygen, and usually one or more other elements.

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Nonsilicate

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Minerals that do not contain silicon-oxygen compounds.

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Crystallization

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The process by which a solid forms, where the atoms or molecules are highly organized into a structure known as a crystal.

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Lava

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Molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption.

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Magma

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Molten rock beneath the earth's surface.

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Mineralogist

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A scientist who studies minerals.

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Luster

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The way light interacts with the surface of a crystal, rock, or mineral.

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Shine

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The quality of reflecting light; brightness, gloss, or luster.

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Hardness

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A measure of how resistant a mineral is to scratching.