Ch. 4.2 Study Vocab

Mineral

inorganic, solid, naturally occurring, have a specific internal structure, and have a specific chemical composition

Rock

A chunk of substance made of many different molecules/elements

mineraloid

something that is almost a mineral but missing one of the criteria (ex. glass)

Luster

sheen; how it reflects light. Ex: dull, glassy, metallic, pearly, ect.

density

ratio of mass to volume; measure of how compact it is

streak

powder left behind on a porcelain plate

hardness

resistance to scratching

cleavage

the pattern in which a mineral breaks

fracture

when a mineral breaks with no pattern

diagnostic property

a property that can be used to identify (or diagnose) a mineral

silicate tetrahedron

1 silicon and 4 oxygen atoms bonded together

silicate

Silicon bonded to Oxygen

Sulfate

Sulfur bonded to Oxygen

Sulfide

Sulfur bonded to metal(s)

Oxide

Oxygen bonded to metal(s)

Halides

Salts (Halogens) bonded to metal(s)

Native Mineral

a mineral completely made of one element, ex. diamonds (carbon)

Ore

Any mineral that is mined and is commercially valuable