answersLogoWhite

0

  • The property is referred to as cleavage or fracture, the tendency, or lack of tendency, of a mineral to break along planes of weakness. Some minerals have multiple planes of cleavage. Some have none, and are said to exhibit fracture.
  • Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along flat surfaces. The way in which a mineral breaks depends on how its atoms are bonded, or

    joined together. In a mineral that displays cleavage, the bonds of the crystal structure are weaker in the directions in which the mineral breaks.

  • fracture is the tendency of a mineral to break into irregular pieces.

    Some minerals such as quartz break into pieces with curved surfaces. Other minerals may break differently-perhaps into splinters or into rough or jagged pieces. In a mineral that displays fracture, the bonds that join the atoms are fairly equal in strength in all directions. The mineral does not break along flat surfaces because there are no particular directions of

    weakness in its crystal structure.

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What is the property that describes the way minerals split?

That property is called cleavage or fracture, depending on how the mineral breaks.


When a mineral breaks along a weekly-bonded plane it is called what?

When a mineral breaks along a weakly-bonded plane, it is called cleavage. Cleavage is a property that describes how a mineral breaks along its crystal structure.


What is a mineral property that describes the way light reflects from the mineral?

The property that describes a mineral's surface shines is called luster.


A mineral that breaks into jagged pieces exhibits this property?

A mineral that breaks into jagged pieces exhibits fracture.


Which term describes the way a mineral breaks along certain lines of weakness?

cleavage


What is the property that refers to the way light bounces off a mineral?

The property that refers to the way light bounces off a mineral is known as luster. Luster describes how light reflects off the surface of a mineral, which can range from metallic to non-metallic in appearance.


What is a property that describes how a mineral reflects light from its surface?

Luster is the property that describes how a mineral reflects light from its surface. Minerals can have metallic, vitreous (glassy), pearly, silky, or dull luster, among others.


If a mineral breaks into cubes when struck with a rock hammar which property of the mineral is getting measured?

When a mineral breaks into cubes upon being struck with a rock hammer, the property being measured is its cleavage. Cleavage refers to the way a mineral breaks along specific planes of weakness, producing flat surfaces. In this case, the cubic breakage indicates that the mineral has a cubic cleavage, reflecting its internal crystalline structure.


Which mineral property describes how minerals interact with light?

The property that describes how minerals interact with light is known as "luster." Luster refers to the way light reflects off a mineral's surface, and can be described as metallic, glassy, pearly, silky, dull, or earthy.


Is cleavage a physical property?

Cleavage is not a physical property, but rather a mineralogical property that describes how a mineral breaks along planes of weakness. Minerals with cleavage break along specific directions due to their crystal structure, creating smooth, flat surfaces. This property is used to help identify minerals.


Describes a mineral's response to mechanical impact?

When a mineral is subjected to mechanical impact, it may show characteristics like cleavage, fracture, and hardness. Cleavage describes how a mineral breaks along flat planes, fracture describes how it breaks along irregular surfaces, and hardness measures the mineral's resistance to scratching or abrasion. Additionally, the impact can also produce deformations such as bending or stretching in some minerals.


What is the uneven breakage of a mineral called what?

Fracture