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We distinguish between a mineral and a naturally formed glass (such as obsidian) because

a. glass is not produced by geologic processes.
b. glass is organic.
c. glass does not have a fixed crystal structure.
d. glass can be made synthetically as well as occur naturally.

User Paullo
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Final answer:

The distinction between a mineral and a naturally formed glass such as obsidian lies in the crystal structure; minerals have an orderly crystalline structure, while glasses like obsidian lack such a structure due to rapid cooling that prevents crystal formation.

Step-by-step explanation:

We distinguish between a mineral and a naturally formed glass like obsidian primarily because glass does not have a fixed crystal structure. Unlike minerals, glasses like obsidian do not have an orderly atomic arrangement that manifests as a crystalline structure. Instead, obsidian is formed by the rapid cooling of lava, which prevents the formation of crystals, leading to its characteristic glassy texture.

A mineral is defined as a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a definite chemical composition and a characteristic crystalline structure. This strict definition excludes any synthetic materials and requires a mineral to be formed by geologic processes in a predictable structure. Compared to glasses, which can also be synthetically made, minerals have a fixed and orderly crystal lattice.

In contrast, obsidian, as an example of volcanic glass, is formed when high-viscosity lava cools so rapidly that atoms do not have time to arrange themselves into a crystal lattice, resulting in the glassy, non-crystalline amorphous solid we recognize.

User Helderdarocha
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