Geology MINERALS: Physical Properties – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
asterism
answer
6-sided star effect
question
cleavage
answer
a very flat, smooth plane of natural breakage
question
color
answer
first thing you see, but it's the least reliable identifying characteristic; a mineral's color depends on how much light is absorbed
question
flourescence
answer
glows under black light (ghost story rock)
question
fracture
answer
uneven breakage (also called irregular, conchoidal, or fibrous fracture)
question
hardness
answer
a mineral's resistance to scratching or abrasion; Moh's Hardness Scale: Fingernail=2.5, Glass=5.5, Steel=6.5, Quartz=7, Diamond=10
question
luster
answer
how a mineral's surface reflects light
question
magnetism
answer
attracts iron
question
opaque
answer
light cannot pass through the mineral
question
phosphorescence
answer
keeps glowing after the light goes away ex: Lithium Ore (called Eucryptite)
question
streak
answer
the color of a mineral in its powdered form; can be observed by rubbing it across a streak plate
question
translucent
answer
light can pass through the mineral but is diffused so that images cannot be seen clearly
question
radioactive
answer
emits nuclear particles (ex: Uranium ores)
question
effervescence
answer
fizzes in acid
question
double refraction
answer
splits light into two images
question
chatoyancy
answer
cat's eye effect
question
transparency
answer
the degree to which light can pass through a mineral
question
transparent
answer
light can pass through the mineral
