Chapter 14 Vocab for Earth Science
Chapter 14 Vocabulary
Terms
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- Streak Plate
- A piece of unglazed porcelain.
- Mineral
- A naturally occurring, inorganic, crystalline solid with a definite chemical composition.
- Compound
- Contains atoms of several elements combined. Example: quartz is a compound of oxygen and silicon
- Streak
- The color of a minerals powder.
- Panning
- The process in which gold in streams is separated fro the sand and gravel.
- Flame Test
- A test where minerals are put over a flame and produce a certain color
- Mohs Scale
- A hardness scale for classifying and identifying minerals by their hardness. Devised by Friedrich Mohs
- Specific Gravity
- The ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water at 4C (39F).
- Platinum
- Exists in a range of sizes, from small particles to nuggets. Color: steel gray, Luster: bright, Specific Gravity: 21.5 (denser than gold)
- Silver
- Specific gravity: 10.5 Color and streak: silver/white
- Dredging
- Separates the metal from thousands of cubic yards of sand and gravel.
- Fracture
- Minerals that do not show cleavage planes but seem to have some pattern in their breaking.
- Gold
- One of the densest minerals. Specific gravity: 19
- Cleavage
- The characteristic of some minerals to separate into flat sheets or along certain planes. Example: mica is easily identified by its ease of cleavage into thin sheets
- Luminescence
- The glowing when minerals are placed under ultraviolet light.
- Acid Test
- When acid is applied to certain minerals (carbonates, sulfides, and sulfites) and fizzes, it gives off bubbles of carbon dioxide and other gases.
- The Different Types of Fracture
- conchoidal, fibrous, uneven, and hackly
- Native Mineral
- Contains only one kind of atom and is therefore a pure element. Gold, silver, and diamond are examples of native minerals.
- Refraction
- The bending of light as it passes through minerals.
- Element
- The number of protons determines the ELEMENT that the atom belongs to. Example: hydrogen, lithium
- Luster
- The quality and intensity of the light reflected from a mineral's surface. Example: mineral copper has a metallic luster
- Magnetism
- This mineral can pick up minerals and small pieces of iron.
- Hardness Test
- A simple procedure in identifying a mineral, which determines the ability of the mineral to withstand scratching and abrasion.
- Mixture
- Contains many elements or compounds in proportions that vary. Example: salt
- Placer Deposits
- Streams where eroded gold or other minerals are found.
- Polarization
- A process where light rays are filtered so that it vibrates in one direction.
- Double Refraction
- Transparent minerals that produce double images as light passes through them
- Copper
- A native mineral, occurs in irregular masses, sheets, twisted strands...