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Unit 6
Earths Structures
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| mineral | A natural, usually inorganic solid that has a characteristic chemical composition and an orderly internal structure. |
| element | A substance that cannot be separated or broken down into simpler substances by chemical means ; all atoms of an element have the same atomic number. |
| atom | the smallest unit of an element that maintains the properties of that element. |
| compound | A substance made up of two atoms or irons of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds. |
| matter | Anything that has mass and takes up space. |
| crystal | Natural solid substance that has a definite geometric shape. |
| streak | The color of a mineral in powdered form. |
| luster | The way in which a mineral reflects light. |
| cleavage | In geology, the tendency of a mineral to split along specific planes of weakness to form smooth, flat surfaces. |
| weathering | The natural process by which atmospheric and environmental agents, such as wind, rain, and temperature changes, disintegrate and decompose rocks. |
| erosion | The process by which wind, water, ice, or gravity transports soil and sediment from one location to another. |
| deposition | The process in which material is laid down. |
| igneous rock | Rock that forms when magma cools and solidifies. |
| sedimentary rock | A rock that forms from compressed or cemented layers of sediment. |
| metamorphic rock | A rock that forms from other rocks as a result of intense heat, pressure, or chemical processes. |
| rock cycle | The series of processes in which rock forms, changes from one type to another, is destroyed, and forms again by geologic processes. |
| uplift | The rising |
| subsidence | |
| rift zone | |
| crust | |
| mantle | |
| convection | |
| core | |
| lithosphere | |
| asthenosphere | |
| mesosphere |