Minerals Vocabulary

When you look in a mineral and it appears to be doubled.

Allowing light, but not detailed shapes, to pass through

not able to be seen through

A series of closely placed parallel lines or grooves on either crystal faces or cleavage planes

When a mineral breaks in smooth, even planes. Along the weak points in it’s atomic structure.

resembling wax in consistency or appearance

hard but liable to break or shatter easily

capable of bending easily without breaking.

attractive and repulsive forces between objects.

The external shape a mineral takes

Ratio of mineral weight to the weight of an equal volume of water

When breaking occurs along uneven, curved or irregular surfaces in no direction

Minerals that glow when exposed to ultraviolet light

Minerals that reflect light like other substances than metal

Minerals that exhibit little to no luster

resembling a pearl in luster or color.

Bends but returns it’s original form when pressure is released.

like glass in appearance or physical properties

When a mineral transmit both light and an image through it

A mineral that resembles glass

Can be cut into thin, curved shavings with a knife

How the human eye observes the varieties of wavelengths of visible light.

Can be hammered out into thin sheets

Minerals that reflect light like metal