| Question |
 |
|
| Answer |
|
|
| atomic number |
number of protons in an atom |
| atomic mass |
number of protons plus neutrons in an atom |
| mineral |
naturally occuring, inorganic solid with an orderly crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition |
| silicate |
classification of minerals that contain silicon and oxygen; most common group |
| carbonate |
classification of minerals that contain carbon and oxygen |
| sulfide |
classification of minerals that contain sulfur |
| oxide |
classification of minerals that contain oxygen but not silicon or carbon |
| native element |
classification of minerals that contain a single element |
| streak |
color of a mineral in its powdered form |
| luster |
describes how light is reflected from a mineral's surface |
| hardness |
measure of a mineral's resistance to being scratched |
| cleavage |
tendency of a mineral to break along a flat, even surface |
| fracture |
tendency of a mineral to break unevenly |
| nickname for pyrite |
fool's gold |
| Mohs' scale |
scale of ten minerals, ranked in order from softest (1) to hardest (10) |
| talc |
sofest mineral on Mohs' scale (1) |
| diamond |
hardest mineral on Mohs' scale (10) |
| quartz |
this is the mineral found in sand which can be used to make glass |
| sulfur |
yellow mineral that smells like rotten eggs |
| halite |
this clear, cubic mineral is what we eat on food |
| calcite |
this mineral refracts light, is rhombus-shaped, reacts to hydrochloric acid, and glows in UV light |
| fluorite |
this mineral gets its name because it fluoresces (glows) in UV light |
Science Vocab 147928
