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ES - Ch 3 - Minerals
Minerals
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Mineral | Naturally occurring inorganic solid that has a definite chemical composition and an orderly internal atomic structure. |
| Crystal | Solid in which the atoms are arranged in an orderly, repeating pattern. |
| Magma | Hot, melted rock material beneath Earth's surface |
| Silicate | Describes a mineral that contains silicon and oxygen and usually one or more other elements. |
| Hardness | Measure of how easily a mineral can be scratched. |
| Streak | Color of a mineral when it is in powdered form. |
| Luster | Describes the way a mineral reflects light from its surface; can be metallic or nonmetallic. |
| Cleavage | Physical property of some minerals that causes them to break along smooth, flat surfaces. |
| Specific Gravity | Ratio of a mineral's weight compared with the weight of an equal volume of water. |
| Fracture | Physical property of some minerals that causes them to break with uneven, rough, or jagged surfaces. |
| Gem | Beautiful, rare, highly prized mineral that can be worn in jewelry. |
| Ore | Deposit in which a mineral exists in large enough amounts to be mined at a profit. |