any solid mass of mineral or mineral-like matter that occurs naturally as part of our planet.
What is a rock?
100
Attraction of oppositely charge ions to one another, producing an electrically neutral ionic compound.
What is an ionic bond?
100
property that is surprisingly not always very useful. Many minerals can be similar because of this property, and some minerals may be different because of this property.
What is color?
100
The physical and/or chemical alteration of rocks and minerals.
What is weathering?
100
formed by the cooling of magma (molten rock found at depth). They can be aphanitic (fine-grained) or phaneritic (coarse-grained). They are classified by silica content (SiO2) and extrusive or intrusive minerals.
What is an igneous rock?
200
any naturally occurring inorganic solid that contains a definite chemical compound, characteristic physical properties and a repeating crystal structure.
What is a mineral?
200
A chemical bond formed by the sharing of one or more valence electrons between a pair of atoms.
What is a covalent bond?
200
Color of mineral in powdered form
What is streak?
200
The disintegration or disaggregation of rocks by physically breaking them apart.
What is physical weathering?
200
formed when silicate magma (with gas) melts at depth, rises, and then cools. If it freezes at depth, it is intrusive. If it reaches the surface it is extrusive (lava).
What is a silicate rock?
300
A dimensionless number representing the ratio of a mineral’s weight to the weight of an equal volume of water.
What is specific gravity?
300
Valence electrons are free to move from one atom to another so that all atoms share the available valence electrons.
What is a Metallic bond?
300
The appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral.
What is luster?
300
the decomposition of rocks and minerals by chemical reactions (i.e. most rocks and minerals are formed at high temperatures and pressures). By-products include ions and new minerals stable at the Earth’s surface (secondary minerals).
What is chemical weathering?
300
Silicate rocks that are rich in feldspar and quartz composition.
What is a felsic silicate rock?
400
The tendency of a mineral to break along planes of weak bonding.
What is cleavage and fracture?
400
Formed by weathered rocks, also composed of organic matter or biochemically produced materials (oil, gas, coal, etc.). These rocks cover 75% of continents and nearly the entire ocean floor in distinct layers (strata).
What are sedimentary rocks?
400
Silicate rocks that are rich in magnesium and iron composition.
What is a mafic silicate rock?
500
The measure of resistance of a mineral to scratching.