Key Difference: In mineralogy, cleavage and fracture both describe a tendency of a mineral come break. In cleavage, a mineral may break-up apart along assorted smooth planes. These smooth planes space parallel to area of weak bonding. ~ above the various other hand, fracture division a mineral along the curved surface with rarely often rare shapes. The minerals that undergo fracture perform not have actually planes the weakness, and therefore rest in an rarely often, rarely manner.

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Cleavage explains a method in i beg your pardon a mineral division into flat surfaces. The number of flat surfaces usually variety from one to four. This habits is defined by the crystal structure of the mineral. Cleavage have the right to be simply defined as the residential property of part minerals to break along certain planes in the crystal. The factor behind the plane of weakness is the weak bonding between the atoms the constitutes a mineral. Thus, cleavage deserve to be connected with the atomic setup of a mineral.

Cleavage is regularly measured by 3 factors:

Quality that cleavageNumber of sides exhibiting cleavageCleavage habit

It is also important to define the angle in between the cleavage planes. Because that example, if a mineral is in the shape of a cube then the angle in between the cleavage planes need to be 90°.

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Fracture division a mineral along the curved surface with rarely often rare shapes. The minerals that undergo fracture carry out not have planes of weakness, and therefore break in an rarely often, rarely manner. Fracture exhibits a much more random means of breaking than contrasted to cleavage. That occurs, together the bonds in between all the atoms of the mineral are about equal. Thus, there are no layers of weakness prefer in the case of cleavage. Therefore, the mineral breaks in a random manner.

Fracture help in the to know of the mineral, and therefore is taken into consideration to be one of the various properties including: streak, specific gravity, crystal structure, luster, color, hardness, flame test and also others. Cleavage planes can be easily identified from a fracture together they space smooth and also often have actually reflective surfaces.

Comparison between Cleavage and also Fracture:

Cleavage

Fracture

Definition

In cleavage, a mineral may separation apart along various smooth planes. These smooth planes space parallel to zones of weak bonding.

Fracture division a mineral along the curved surface ar with rarely often, rarely shapes.

Types

There are five species of cleavage:

Basal or pinacoidal – It occurs parallel come the base of a crystalCubic Cleavage – It occurs parallel to the faces of a cube because that a crystal through cubic symmetry.Octahedral Cleavage – It wake up on the 111 crystal planes and octahedral shapes are formed.Dodecahedral Cleavage - It wake up on the 110 crystal pleanes and dodecahedra forms are formed.Rhombohedral cleavage – It wake up parallel to the 1011 deals with of a rhombohedron.Prismatic cleavage - that is a cleavage that is parallel come a vertical prism 110.

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There are five types of fracture:

Conchoidal - A fracture resembling a semicircular shell, with a smooth, curved surface.Uneven - A fracture that leaves a turbulent or rarely often, rarely surface.Hackly - A hackly fracture the resembles broken metals, v rough, jagged, points. True steels exhibit this fracture.Splintery - This kind of fracture will form elongated splinters. All fibrous minerals loss into this category.Earthy or crumbly- This describes minerals that crumble as soon as broken.

Examples