Earth Science Vocabulary Words

Front 1

Element

Back 1

A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by Chemical or Physical means

Front 2

Atomic Number

Back 2

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

Front 3

Energy Level

Back 3

Regions which electrons are found.

Front 4

Isotopes

Back 4

Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Front 5

Mass Number

Back 5

Total mass of an Atom

Front 6

Compound

Back 6

Substance that consists of two or more elements that are chemically combined in specific proportions

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Chemical Bond

Back 7

When an Atom's outer most energy level does not contain the maximum number of electrons and forms this.

Front 8

Ion

Back 8

An atom that has a electrical charge because of a gain or loss of one or more electrons.

Front 9

Convalent Bond

Back 9

Forms when atoms share electrons

Front 10

Metallic Bond

Back 10

Forms when electrons are shared by Metal Ions

Front 11

Mineral

Back 11

Naturally occurring inorganic solid with an orderly crystalline structure and a definite chemical composition

Front 12

Silicates

Back 12

A mineral group

Front 13

Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron

Back 13

Silicon and Oxygen combine to form this structure and a framework for every silicate mineral

Front 14

Streak

Back 14

The Color of a mineral in it's powdered form

Front 15

Luster

Back 15

To describe how light is reflected from the surface of a mineral

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Crystal Form

Back 16

Visible expression of a minerals internal arrangement of atoms

Front 17

How are elements organized?

Back 17

Arranged in the period table

Front 18

What is the periodic table and how is it organized?

Back 18

a table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number, usually in rows, so that elements with similar atomic structure (and hence similar chemical properties) appear in vertical columns.

Front 19

What eight elements make up the Earth's crust?

Back 19

Oxygen, Silicon, Aluminum, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Sodium

Front 20

What are Atoms

Back 20

Smallest particle of matter that contains the characteristics of an element

Front 21

What is the central region of an atom

Back 21

Nucleus

Front 22

What are protons and neutrons

Back 22

Subatomic particles present in the nucleus with positive charge and a particle with no charge

(neither positive nor negative) that is present in the nucleus

Front 23

What are isotopes and give examples

Back 23

Atoms with the same number of protons but that have a different number of numbers.

Carbon and Uranium are examples.

Front 24

Why do Atoms Bond

Back 24

To fill the outer electron shells and become stable

Front 25

What are compounds

Back 25

Substance that consists of two or more elements that are chemically combined

Front 26

Describe and give examples of three types of bonding

Back 26

Convalent Bond- Form when atoms share electrons

Metallic Ions- Formed when Electrons are shared by Metal Ions

Ionic Bond- Formed between Positive and Negative Ion

Front 27

List the five characteristics

Back 27

Naturally occurring, Solid Substance, Orderly Crystalline Structure, Chemical Composition, Generally considered inorganic

Front 28

How are minerals formed in four ways

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Crystallization, Precipitation, Change in temperature and pressure, Hydro-thermal Solution.

Front 29

How are minerals classified

Back 29

Classified according to Hardiness, Specific Gravity, Color, Luster, Streak, Cleavage, and Crystal Form.

Front 30

What are the five mineral groups with examples

Back 30

Native Elements, Silicates, Oxides, Carbonates, Halides, Sulfates.

Examples- Copper, Gold, Salt.

Front 31

List and describe the eight characteristics of minerals

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Luster- How much light is reflected at the minerals surface

Hardiness- Relative Hardiness of a Mineral

Color- Color of a mineral, Fracture- Shape in which the minerals fracture.

Cleavage- Ability for mineral to cleave in certain planes.

Crystal Form- Perfect Crystal.

Habit- Shapes the minerals tend to form.

Density- Density each mineral can have

Front 32

What is the equation for Density

Back 32

D= Mass over Volume (M) + (V)

Front 33

What are some distinctive properties of minerals

Back 33

Streak, Luster, Crystal system, Cleavage and Fracture, Density.

Front 34

What are the three states of matter and describe each

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Solid- Retains a fixed volume and shaperigid/particles locked into place.

Liquid- Assumes the shape of the part of the container which occupie sparticles can move/slide past one another.

Gas- assumes the shape and volume of its container particles can move past one another