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Questions and Answers
What is the difference between fracture and cleavage?
What is the difference between fracture and cleavage?
Cleavage is the break of a crystal face forming a smooth plane, while fracture is the chipping shape of a mineral.
What property does a mineral have if it splits easily along flat surfaces?
What property does a mineral have if it splits easily along flat surfaces?
Cleavage
What does fracture describe in minerals?
What does fracture describe in minerals?
Fracture describes how a mineral looks when it breaks apart in an irregular way.
What is meant by conchoidal fracture?
What is meant by conchoidal fracture?
What does uneven fracture refer to?
What does uneven fracture refer to?
What is a hackly fracture?
What is a hackly fracture?
What is the characteristic of splintery fracture?
What is the characteristic of splintery fracture?
What defines an earthy fracture?
What defines an earthy fracture?
What does even fracture result in?
What does even fracture result in?
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Study Notes
Differences Between Cleavage and Fracture
- Cleavage results in a smooth plane on a crystal face, while fracture is characterized by irregular breaking, often leading to chipping.
- All minerals exhibit some form of fracture; however, minerals with cleavage may fracture if chipped improperly.
Cleavage
- Defined as the property of a mineral to split easily along flat surfaces.
- Represents a predictable breakage pattern that can be used for identification.
Fracture
- Describes the irregular appearance of a mineral when it breaks apart.
- Fracture patterns can help distinguish between different minerals in hand samples.
Types of Fracture
- Conchoidal: Exhibits a smooth, curved shell-like appearance; typical in materials like glass.
- Uneven: Produces a rough or irregular fractured surface, often less smooth than other types.
- Hackly: Resembles the jagged, broken surface similar to that of fractured metal; commonly seen in true metals.
- Splintery: Forms elongated splinters; characteristic of fibrous minerals.
- Earthy: Results in a crumbling texture when broken, indicative of softer minerals.
- Even: Creates a consistently smooth surface upon breaking, which may reflect certain mineral properties.
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