What is it called when a mineral breaks on a flat surface?

What is it called when a mineral breaks on a flat surface?

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.

What is the even breakage of a mineral called?

The uneven breakage of a mineral is called fracture. Some minerals break evenly and cleanly along a specific plane of the crystal.

Why would a mineral break in smooth flat surfaces?

Definitions. Cleavage – The tendency of a mineral to break along flat planar surfaces as determined by the structure of its crystal lattice. These two-dimensional surfaces are known as cleavage planes and are caused by the alignment of weaker bonds between atoms in the crystal lattice.

When a mineral does not break along smooth flat surfaces this is called?

The tendency of a mineral to break along smooth flat surfaces is called cleavage.

What is even fracture?

Mineral fracture forming a smooth, flat surface.

What is meant by fracture in minerals?

fracture, in mineralogy, appearance of a surface broken in directions other than along cleavage planes. See also cleavage.

What is the tendency of a mineral to break along irregular surfaces?

Fracture is the tendency of some minerals to break unevenly along curved or irregular surfaces.

How does mineral break apart in an irregular way?

Cleavage and Fracture: The way a mineral breaks apart can help to identify it. A mineral that splits easily along flat surfaces has the property called cleavage. Instead, they have a characteristic type of fracture, which describes how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way.

What occurs when minerals break unevenly along curved or irregular surfaces?

What property of mineral that form smooth and flat surfaces when mineral break?

Cleavage
Cleavage. The way in which a mineral breaks along smooth flat planes is called cleavage. These breaks occur along planes of weakness in the mineral’s structure. However, if a mineral breaks along an irregular surface, it does not have cleavage.

What does luster mean in minerals?

lustre, in mineralogy, the appearance of a mineral surface in terms of its light-reflective qualities. Lustre depends upon a mineral’s refractive power, diaphaneity (degree of transparency), and structure.

Why do some minerals Cleave and others fracture?

Cleavage – The tendency of a mineral to break along flat planar surfaces as determined by the structure of its crystal lattice. These two-dimensional surfaces are known as cleavage planes and are caused by the alignment of weaker bonds between atoms in the crystal lattice.