A mineral:__________
a) must have an identifiable chemical composition.
b) This includes solids with a compositions that can be identified but not expressed by an exact chemical formula; an example is glass must be inorganic.
c) This excludes the vast number of organic compounds produced by living matter. must be naturally formed or formed from naturally occuring compounds.
d) This includes the vast numbers of substances that can be produced in a laboratory but are not found in nature. must be a solid or a liquid.
e) This excludes all gases.
The above speaks to the characteristics of Minerals.
Option D is excluded because minerals cannot be liquid or gaseous. Even if it is possible, those replicated in the laboratory are not considered as minerals neither are minerals liquid. They must be solid. The molecules for most minerals are very tightly or densely arranged because of the nature of their formation. Most of them are formed under consistent and intense pressure.
