Difference between revisions of "Tenacity"
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| − | + | A [[mineral]]'s '''tenacity''' is its capacity to resist the stress of crushing, tearing, bending, or breaking. Tenacity is usually described by the following terms: | |
| + | |||
| + | <table><tr><td>''Brittle''<td>Easily broken into a powder by cutting or hammering.</td></tr> | ||
| + | <tr><td>''Sectile''<td>Can be cut by a knife into thin shavings.</td></tr> | ||
| + | <tr><td>''Malleable''<td>Can be hammered into thin sheets like [[gold]] or [[copper]].</td></tr> | ||
| + | <tr><td>''Flexible''<td>Can be bent, but will not return to original form when stress is released.</td></tr> | ||
| + | <tr><td>''Elastic''<td>Can be bent (like a spring) and will return to original form when stress is released.</td></tr></table> Chesterman, p. 32 | ||
| + | =Sources= | ||
| + | *Chesterman, Charles W. ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals'', Alfred A. Knopf: New York (1987) | ||
| + | [[Category:Geology]] | ||
Latest revision as of 20:12, July 13, 2016
A mineral's tenacity is its capacity to resist the stress of crushing, tearing, bending, or breaking. Tenacity is usually described by the following terms:
| Brittle | Easily broken into a powder by cutting or hammering. |
| Sectile | Can be cut by a knife into thin shavings. |
| Malleable | Can be hammered into thin sheets like gold or copper. |
| Flexible | Can be bent, but will not return to original form when stress is released. |
| Elastic | Can be bent (like a spring) and will return to original form when stress is released. |
Chesterman, p. 32
Sources
- Chesterman, Charles W. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and Minerals, Alfred A. Knopf: New York (1987)