Minerals

The building blocks of rocks; naturally occurring inorganic solid formed from elements or compounds

• mineral

• gemstone

• metallic luster

• geologist

The color of a mineral in its powdered form.

• ore

• streak

• color

• inorganic

How a mineral's surface reflects light.

• inorganic

• nonmetallic luster

• geologist

• luster

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS4-2

A measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched.

• Hardness

• Metallic luster

• Organic

• Mohs Hardness Scale

When a mineral breaks in a predictable pattern along smooth, flat surfaces...

• cleavage

• hardness

• gemstones

• magnetized

When a mineral breaks randomly with uneven, rough or jagged edges.

• ore

• acid test

• fracture

• cleavage

A scale used to rank a mineral from 1 to 10. Lists 10 minerals that the hardness of other minerals can be compared.

• Metallic luster

• Mohs Hardness Scale

• Magnetized

• Mineral

Something that has NEVER been alive; NOT formed from once living things.

• Crystal

• Luster

• Acid Test

• Inorganic

An expert in the field of geology, the study of what the Earth is made of and how it was formed.

• Fracture

• Streak

• Geologist

• Crystal

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

A mineral that can be cut and polished for use in jewelry.

• Mineral

• Gemstone

• Inorganic

• Acid Test