Answer:
The properties of a mineral that describe the way it breaks apart are called cleavage and fracture.
Cleavage refers to the way a mineral breaks along planes of weakness in its crystal structure, resulting in smooth, flat surfaces. The number and orientation of these planes determine the cleavage properties of a mineral.
Fracture, on the other hand, refers to the way a mineral breaks when it does not have well-defined planes of weakness. Fracture can result in irregular or jagged surfaces, and can be described using terms such as conchoidal (shell-like), fibrous, or uneven.
Both cleavage and fracture are important properties of minerals, as they can be used to identify different types of minerals and distinguish them from one another