EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Minerals can be identified by the shape of their crystals or crystallography. The shapes of crystals are determined by a number of factors such as the size and length of their surfaces (known as ‘faces’) and edges, as well as the angles between these.

Detailed explanation-2: -Crystal form refers to the geometric shape of mineral crystals. Crystal form is caused by the symmetrical, three-dimensional arrangement of atoms inside the mineral. Not all minerals form perfect visible crystal shapes. Some crystals are too small to see.

Detailed explanation-3: -All minerals, by definition are also crystals. Packing of atoms in a crystal structure requires an orderly and repeated atomic arrangement. Such an orderly arrangement needs to fill space efficiently and keep a charge balance.

Detailed explanation-4: -Minerals are found in various diverse crystal shapes. Naturally, minerals are made up of various molecules, ions, and atoms. The crystals formed have different patterns and shapes resulting from the minerals’ atoms, ions, and molecules present.

Detailed explanation-5: -There are six crystal systems, and all minerals form crystals in one of these six systems. Although you may have seen more than six shapes of crystals, they’re all variations of one of these six habits. Each system is defined by a combination of three factors: How many axes it has.