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Vocab. Chapter # 4
Term | Definition |
---|---|
mineral | a naturally occurring, inorganic solid that has a crystal structure and a definite chemical composition |
Moh’s hardness scale | a scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals |
streak | the color of a mineral’s powder |
luster | the way a mineral reflects light from its surface |
cleavage | a mineral’s ability to split easily along flat surfaces |
fracture | the way a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way |
fluorescence | the property of a mineral in which the mineral glows under ultraviolet light |
texture | the look and feel of a rock’s surface, determined by the size, shape, and pattern of a rock’s grains |
grain | a particle of mineral or other rock that gives a rock its texture |
igneous rock | a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface |
metamorphic rock | a type of rock that forms from existing rock that is changed by heat, pressure, or chemical reaction. |
sedimentary rock | a type of rock that forms when particles from other rocks or the remains of plants and animals are pressed and cemented together |