When a mineral fractures along a cleavage plane, what does this suggest about the crystal structure of the mineral?
A) The crystal grows only planar faces that become weak zones that form cleavage.
B) The crystal contains warped planes called twin planes that weaken the crystal structure and allow it fracture along a planar surface, causing cleavage.
C) The atoms are arranged in a simple orderly arrangement with uniform bonding.
D) The crystal structure contains planes along which chemical bonding is much weaker than other directions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a mineral exhibits cleavage, it suggests that the crystal structure contains planes of weaker chemical bonding compared to other directions. These planes of weakness are called cleavage planes, and when stress is applied along these planes, the mineral will break or fracture along them. This is different from crystal twinning or planar growth, which do not necessarily result in cleavage. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

When a Mineral Fractures Along a Cleavage Plane, What Does