Term | Definition |
Mineral | is a naturally formed, inorganic solid that had a definite crystalline structure |
Luster | the way a surface reflects light |
Streak | the color of a mineral in powdered form |
Cleavage | the tendency of some minerals to break along in smooth flat surfaces |
Hardness | a mineral's resistance to being scratched |
Density | the measure of how much matter is in a given amount of space. |
Rock | a naturally occurring solid mixture of one or more minerals and organic matter |
Rock Cycle | the continual process by which new rock forms from old rock material is called the rock cycle |
Weathering | the process in which water, wind, ice, and heat break down rock |
Erosion | the process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transports soil and sediment form one location to another |
Deposition | the process in which material is laid down |
Igneous Rock | this rock forms when hot, liquid rock, or magma, cools and solidifies |
Sedimentary Rock | over time, sand grains may be compacted, or compressed, and then cemented together to form a rock called |
Metamorphic Rock | these rocks are rocks in which the structure, texture, or composition of the rock have changed |
Foliated | the texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are arranged in planes or bands |
Nonfoliated | the texture of metamorphic rock in which the mineral grains are not arranged in planes or bands |
Relative Dating | any method of determining whether an event or object is older or younger than events or objects |
Superposition | a principle that states that younger rocks lie above older rocks in the layers have not been disturbed |
Absolute Dating | |
Radiometric Dating | |
Half-Life | |
Fossil | |
Geologic Time Scale | |
Crust | |
Mantle | |
Core | |
Plate Tectonics | |
Convergent Boundary | |
Divergent Boundary | |
Transform Boundary | |
Folding | |
Fault | |
Fracture | the tendency of some minerals to break unevenly along curved irregular surfaces. |