lava that hardens into rough, jagged rocks with a crumbly texture
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aggregate
a rock composed of a collection of small particles, minerals, or smaller pieces (like coquina)
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strata
relatively flat surfaces along which sedimentary rocks tend to separate or break (layers)
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Burial
A process in making sedimentary rock where a layer of sediments is buried under subsequent layers.
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carbonates
A non-silicate group of minerals that contain carbon and oxygen compounds (CO3)
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Cementation
A process in making sedimentary rock in which new minerals form between sediments to bind them all together.
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cleavage
the tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weak bonding leaving flat surfaces. One of the physical properties of minerals useful in identification.
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color
the color of a mineral sample recognized by inspection. One of the physical properties of minerals useful in identification.
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Compaction
Part of the formation of sedimentary rocks. When sediments are deeply buried, the pressure of overlying layers squashes the grains together more tightly.
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Compound
A combination of elements
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Deposition
The geological process in which sediments, soil and rocks are added to a landform or land mass.
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element
A pure substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical or physical means. Symbols will be a capital letter or capital letter plus 1 lowercase letter on the periodic table of elements. Some minerals are elements.
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foliation
The metamorphic rock texture in which mineral grains are arranged in planes or bands.
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Fracture
When minerals break in directions other than along cleavage surfaces (i.e. not along flat planes).
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Hardness
resistance of a mineral to scratching. Described on a scale from 1-10 with one being softest.
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Heat &/or Pressure
Comes from magma, tectonic plate movement or deep burial. Process that creates metamorphic rocks.
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igneous rock
a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock at or below the surface
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Inorganic
not formed from living things or the remains of living things. Was never alive.
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Lava
molten (hot liquid) rock that has reached the surface
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Luster
The way a mineral reflects light. Two main types are metallic and non-metallic. One of the physical properties of minerals useful in identification.
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Magma
molten (hot liquid) rock located below the surface
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Magma Process
As magma cools, atoms within it slow down and bond into crystalline solids/minerals. The longer it takes for the magma to cool, the larger the crystals grow.
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Melting
The process of changing a rock back into magma or lava by applying heat.
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Metamorphic Rock
A type of rock that forms from an existing rock that is changed by heat &/or pressure.
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Mineral
a naturally occurring, inorganic, solid that possesses a definite chemical composition and structure which gives it a unique set of physical properties
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Moh's Scale
a scale ranking ten minerals from softest to hardest; used in testing the hardness of minerals.
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native element
A non-silicate mineral group of minerals that contain only 1 element.
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Naturally-Occurring
made through non-human activity.
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Naturally-occurring
Not made by humans. One of the 5 criteria of a mineral.
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Oxides
A non-silicate mineral group of minerals that contain a metal and an oxygen in the compound.
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Pahoehoe
A hot, fast-moving type of lava that hardens to form smooth, ropelike coils
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Physical properties
Characteristics of minerals that help with identification created by the mineral's unique combination of chemical composition and arrangement of atoms.
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Precipitation Process
The method of forming minerals from water with dissolved atoms/ions in it that either a) becomes supersaturated (ex: hydrothermal) OR evaporates (ex: salt flats).
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Pressure Process
The mineral process where pressure and heat are applied, atoms, molecules and ions break bonds and recombine in new combinations and alignments forming new minerals.
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Rock
An group of minerals bound together
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Sedimentary
A type of rock that typically forms when sediment goes through the 4 part process of deposition, burial, compaction and cementation. Can also chemically precipitate directly from water.
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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
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Sediments
broken pieces of rock, categorized by size
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Silicates
Most common mineral family, makes up 90% of the crust, contain silicon and oxygen compound.
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Solidification
The cooling of magma or lava to form igneous rock.
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Streak
color of a mineral's powder left behind on a ceramic plate. One of the physical properties of minerals useful in identification. Especially for metallic minerals.
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sulfides
A non-silicate group of minerals that contains sulfur as part of the compound
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Weathering and Erosion
Processes that break down a rock to form sediments.
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Honkin
a very large mineral sample
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Peridotite
Dense, dark igneous rock that makes up the mantle.
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Flashcard (29)