| A | B |
|---|
| mineral | a natural, usually inorganic solid that has characteristic chemical composition; orderly internal structure; characteristic set of physical properties |
| silicate mineral | a mineral that contains a combination of silicon & oxygen; may also contain 1 or more metals |
| nonsilicate mineral | a mineral that does not contain compounds of silicon & oxygen |
| crystal | a solid whose atoms, ions or molecules are arranged in a regular, repeating pattern |
| silicon-oxygen tetrahedron | the basic unit of the structure of silicate minerals; a silicon ion chemically bonded to & surrounded by 4 oxygen ions |
| mineralogist | a person who examines, analyzes, and classifies minerals |
| streak | the color of a mineral in powdered form |
| luster | the way in which a mineral reflects light |
| cleavage | in geology, the tendency of a mineral to split along specific planes of weakness to form smooth, flat surfaces |
| fracture | the manner in which a mineral breaks along either curved or irregular surfaces |
| Mohs hardness scale | The standard scale against which the hardness of minerals is rated |
| density | ratio of the mass of a substance to its volume; expressed as grams per cubic cm for solids & grams per liter for gases |
