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Geology
Terms - Minerals
Term | Meaning |
---|---|
proton | positively charged subatomic particles contained in the nucleus of an atom |
neutron | electronically neutral subatomic particles contained in the nucleus of an atom |
electron | negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus in shells or energy levels |
mineral | naturally occuring, solid, inorganic, has a definite chemical composition, has an orderly internal arrangement of atoms |
streak | color of a mineral's powder |
hardness | a mineral's resistance to being scratched |
luster | the way light is reflected from the mineral's surface |
cleavage | when a mineral breaks with flat sides along planes of weakness |
fracture | when a mineral breaks irregularly |
specific gravity | how heavy a mineral is; density compared to water |
element | a substance that cannot be broken down into smaller substances by ordinary chemical means |
native element | an element that exists alone in nature (EX: gold - Au) |
compound | substance consisting of two or more elements chemically combined |
atom | the smallest part of an element that has all the characteristics of that element |