Rocks and Minerals - Middle School and High School

This list is a real gem! If you dig geology, be sure to learn these essential terms related to rocks and minerals. Just review this list and the differences between igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rock will be crystal clear.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. amphibolite
    a metamorphic rock composed chiefly of amphibole and plagioclase
  2. azurite
    blue carbonate of copper; blue malachite
  3. basalt
    the commonest type of solidified lava
  4. batholith
    large mass of intrusive igneous rock believed to have solidified deep within the earth
  5. bauxite
    a clay-like mineral
  6. beryl
    the chief source of beryllium
  7. biotite
    dark brown to black mica found in igneous and metamorphic rock
  8. bituminous coal
    fossil fuel rich in tarry hydrocarbons
  9. breccia
    a rudaceous rock consisting of sharp fragments embedded in clay or sand
  10. calcite
    a common mineral consisting of crystallized calcium carbonate; a major constituent of limestone
  11. carbonate
    a salt or ester of carbonic acid (containing the anion CO3)
  12. chert
    variety of silica containing microcrystalline quartz
  13. clastic
    of or belonging to or being a rock composed of fragments of older rocks (e.g., conglomerates or sandstone)
  14. cleavage
    the act of splitting
  15. coarse-grained
    not having a fine texture
  16. compaction
    an increase in the density of something
  17. composition
    the way in which someone or something is put together
  18. conglomerate
    a composite rock made up of particles of varying size
  19. copper
    a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor
  20. coral reef
    a reef consisting of coral consolidated into limestone
  21. crystal
    a solid having a highly regular atomic structure
  22. crystalline
    consisting of or containing or of the nature of crystals
  23. decay
    the organic phenomenon of rotting
  24. deformation
    alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it
  25. density
    the amount per unit size
  26. deposit
    the phenomenon of sediment or gravel accumulating
  27. deposition
    the natural process of laying something down
  28. diamond
    very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
  29. dolomite
    a kind of sedimentary rock resembling marble or limestone but rich in magnesium carbonate
  30. erosion
    the process of wearing or grinding something down
  31. extrusive
    forced while molten through cracks in the earth's surface
  32. feldspar
    any of a group of hard crystalline minerals that consist of aluminum silicates of potassium or sodium or calcium or barium
  33. fine-grained
    consisting of fine particles
  34. fissure
    a long narrow depression in a surface
  35. flint
    a hard kind of stone
  36. fluorescence
    light emitted during absorption of radiation of some other (invisible) wavelength
  37. fluorite
    a soft mineral that is fluorescent in ultraviolet light
  38. foliated
    having thin leaflike layers or strata
  39. foliation
    (geology) the arrangement of leaflike layers in a rock
  40. fossil
    the remains of a plant or animal from a past geological age
  41. fracture
    a crack in the earth's crust
  42. gabbro
    one of a family of granular intrusive rocks
  43. gemstone
    a crystalline rock that can be cut and polished for jewelry
  44. geode
    a hollow rock with an interior cavity lined with crystals
  45. geologist
    a specialist in the history of the Earth recorded in rocks
  46. geology
    science of the history of the earth as recorded in rocks
  47. gneiss
    a laminated metamorphic rock similar to granite
  48. gold
    a soft yellow malleable ductile metallic element
  49. grain
    the physical composition of something
  50. granite
    a type of igneous rock with a visibly crystalline texture
  51. gypsum
    a white or colorless mineral used in cements and plasters
  52. hardness
    the property of being rigid and resistant to pressure
  53. hematite
    the principal form of iron ore
  54. hornblende
    a green to black mineral of the amphibole group
  55. igneous
    produced by the action of fire or intense heat
  56. inorganic
    relating or belonging to the class of compounds not having a carbon basis
  57. intrusive
    forced while molten into cracks between layers of other rock
  58. lava
    rock that in its molten form issues from volcanos
  59. limestone
    a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the remains of marine animals
  60. loam
    a rich soil consisting of sand, clay and organic materials
  61. loess
    a fine accumulation of clay and silt deposited by the wind
  62. luster
    the property of something that shines with reflected light
  63. magma
    molten rock in the earth's crust
  64. malachite
    a green mineral used for jewelry, ornaments, and copper ore
  65. metamorphic
    having undergone transformation by pressure, heat, etc.
  66. mica
    any of various minerals consisting of hydrous silicates of aluminum or potassium etc. that crystallize in forms that allow perfect cleavage into very thin leaves; used as dielectrics because of their resistance to electricity
  67. mineral
    a solid inorganic substance occurring in nature
  68. Mohs scale
    a scale of hardness of solids
  69. molten
    reduced to liquid form by heating
  70. obsidian
    glass formed by the cooling of lava without crystallization
  71. olivine
    a mineral consisting of magnesium iron silicate
  72. opal
    a translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica
  73. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
  74. ore
    a mineral that contains metal valuable enough to be mined
  75. organic
    relating to chemical compounds having a carbon basis
  76. pebble
    a small smooth rounded rock
  77. pluton
    large mass of intrusive igneous rock believed to have solidified deep within the earth
  78. porphyritic
    (of rocks) consisting of porphyry or containing large crystals in a fine groundmass of minerals
  79. pumice
    a porous rock formed on the surface of some lavas
  80. pyrite
    a common mineral that has a pale yellow color
  81. quartz
    a hard glossy mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form; present in most rocks (especially sandstone and granite); yellow sand is quartz with iron oxide impurities
  82. quartzite
    hard metamorphic rock consisting essentially of interlocking quartz crystals
  83. rhyolite
    very acid volcanic rock
  84. rock
    material consisting of the aggregate of minerals
  85. sandstone
    a sedimentary rock made of tiny rock pieces and natural cement
  86. schist
    any metamorphic rock that can be split into thin layers
  87. sediment
    matter that has been deposited by some natural process
  88. sedimentary
    formed by or containing the accumulation of deposited matter
  89. semiprecious
    used of gemstones having less commercial value than precious stones
  90. shale
    a sedimentary rock formed by the deposition of successive layers of clay
  91. silica
    a white or colorless vitreous insoluble solid
  92. silicate
    a salt or ester derived from silicic acid
  93. sill
    (geology) a flat (usually horizontal) mass of igneous rock between two layers of older sedimentary rock
  94. silt
    mud or clay or small rocks deposited by a river or lake
  95. siltstone
    a fine-grained sandstone of consolidated silt
  96. silver
    a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
  97. soapstone
    a soft heavy compact variety of talc having a soapy feel
  98. sodalite
    a vitreous mineral consisting of sodium aluminum silicate and sodium chloride in crystalline form; occurs in igneous rocks
  99. specific gravity
    the density of a substance relative to the density of water
  100. stalactite
    a cylinder of calcium carbonate hanging from a cave roof
  101. stalagmite
    a cylinder of calcium carbonate projecting from a cave floor
  102. stratum
    one of several parallel layers of material
  103. sulfur
    an abundant tasteless odorless multivalent nonmetallic element; best known in yellow crystals; occurs in many sulphide and sulphate minerals and even in native form (especially in volcanic regions)
  104. talc
    a fine grained mineral having a soft soapy feel and consisting of hydrated magnesium silicate; used in a variety of products including talcum powder
  105. texture
    the physical composition of something
  106. tourmaline
    a mineral that is a complex borosilicate and hydroxide of aluminum containing iron and magnesium and calcium and lithium and sodium; it is usually black but occurs in transparent colored forms that are used as gemstones
  107. translucent
    allowing light to pass through diffusely
  108. transparency
    the quality of being clear
  109. transparent
    able to be seen through with clarity
  110. uplift
    lift up from the earth, as by geologic forces
  111. vein
    a layer of ore between layers of rock
  112. volcanic glass
    a kind of natural glass produced when molten lava cools very rapidly
  113. volcano
    a fissure in the earth's crust through which gases erupt
  114. weather
    change under the action or influence of the climate
Created on Thu Feb 16 16:46:57 EST 2017 (updated Wed Apr 12 15:58:01 EDT 2017)

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