The image below shows a mineral specimen of quartz. What is the term for the smoothly curving, clamshell-shaped surface on the sample below?
A)conchoidal fracture
B)facet
C)cleavage plane
D)striation

Question

The image below shows a mineral specimen of quartz. What is the term for the smoothly curving, clamshell-shaped surface on the sample below? 
A)conchoidal fracture 
B)facet 
C)cleavage plane 
D)striation

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The smoothly curving, clamshell-shaped surface on the specimen is known as a conchoidal fracture, which is a type of fracture common in minerals such as quartz. It results in a characteristic curved, shell-like surface and is caused by the mineral's atomic structure. Facet refers to a flat plane on a cut and polished gemstone, cleavage plane refers to a flat plane along which a mineral can be easily split or broken, and striation refers to a series of parallel lines or grooves on a mineral surface.

The Image Below Shows a Mineral Specimen of Quartz