explain the properties of minerals
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Answer:
Most minerals can be characterized and classified by their unique physical properties: hardness, luster, color, streak, specific gravity, cleavage, fracture, and tenacity.
Explanation:
Luster:
Luster is how a mineral reflects light. The terms metallic and nonmetallic describe the basic types of luster. Table 7 lists the most common terms used to describe luster and an example of a corresponding mineral. Some minerals that don't exhibit luster are referred to as "earthy," "chalky," or "dull."
Color:
One of the most obvious properties of a mineral is color. Color should be considered when identifying a mineral, but should never be used as the major identifying characteristic.
Streak:
Streak is the color of the powdered mineral, which is usually more useful for identification than the color of the whole mineral sample. Rubbing the mineral on a streak plate will produce a streak. A streak plate can be made from the unglazed back side of a white porcelain bathroom or kitchen tile. Some minerals won't streak because they are harder than the streak plate.
Specific Gravity:
Specific gravity is the ratio between the mass (weight) of a mineral and the mass (weight) of an equal volume of water. A mineral's specific gravity (SG) can be determined by dividing its weight in air by the weight of an equal volume of water. For instance, quartz with a density of 2.65 is 2.65 times as heavy as the same volume of water.
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.
Fracture:
When a mineral breaks irregularly, the breaks are called fractures. The breaks can be described as grainy, hackly (jagged), conchoidal (curved), or splintery.
Tenacity:
How well a mineral resists breakage is known as tenacity. Tenacity is described using these terms:
- Brittle- Mineral crushes to angular fragments (quartz).
- Malleable - Mineral can be modified in shape without breaking and can be flattened to a thin sheet (copper, gold).
- Sectile - Mineral can be cut with a knife into thin shavings (talc).
- Flexible - Mineral bends but doesn't regain its shape once released (selenite, gypsum).
- Elastic - Mineral bends and regains its original shape when released (muscovite and biotite mica).