Question

In order for glass to be a mineral, which of its properties would need to change?

a. Transparency
b. Solid crystalline structure
c. Chemical composition
d. Lack of organic origin

Answer 1

In order for glass to be considered a mineral, its properties related to its solid crystalline structure would need to change. Option b. Solid crystalline structure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Glass is not classified as a mineral because it lacks a crystalline structure. Minerals are characterized by their regular internal arrangement of atoms, resulting in a repeating pattern that forms crystals. Glass, on the other hand, is an amorphous solid, meaning it does not have a well-defined crystalline structure. It is formed when molten materials cool rapidly, preventing the atoms from arranging themselves into a crystal lattice.

The other properties mentioned - transparency, chemical composition, and lack of organic origin - are not necessarily defining characteristics of minerals. While many minerals are transparent, some can be opaque or translucent. The chemical composition of a mineral can vary, as long as it is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid. Lastly, minerals can have both organic and inorganic origins.

To summarize, for glass to be considered a mineral, it would need to possess a solid crystalline structure, which is currently lacking in its amorphous form.

Answer 2

For glass to be classified as a mineral, it would need to develop a solid crystalline structure as its lack of this structure is what prevents it from fitting the mineral criteria.

Step-by-step explanation:

Requirement for Glass to be a Mineral

For glass to be considered a mineral, it would need to have a solid crystalline structure. A mineral is defined as a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and a characteristic crystalline structure. Glass is an amorphous, translucent solid, meaning that it has been cooled too quickly to form ordered crystals. Therefore, its lack of a crystalline structure is the main property that would need to change for it to meet the criteria of a mineral.

Other properties such as transparency, chemical composition, or lack of organic origin do not disqualify glass from being a mineral. Transparency is not a requirement for a substance to be a mineral. The chemical composition of glass could technically fall within the definitions of a mineral, since minerals can have variable compositions, and glass is not organic, therefore its origin is not an issue. It's the orderly array of atoms and the solid crystalline structure that are key characteristics, which glass lacks.