Friable asbestos is characterized by its tendency to:

• A. resist breaking under pressure
• B. be non-crushable
• C. easily break into smaller particles
• D. be heat resistant

Answer: (C)

Friability is about how easily a material can be crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to a powder with light pressure. Friable asbestos readily breaks into smaller particles, which is why it poses a much higher risk of releasing fine, respirable fibers when disturbed. That makes the ability to crumble into small pieces the defining characteristic. The other descriptions describe durability or resistance to breaking, which would indicate the material is not friable. While heat resistance is a separate property related to temperature tolerance, it does not describe how easily the material breaks apart. In practice, friable asbestos-containing materials, like some insulation products, can generate harmful fibers with simple handling, whereas non-friable materials tend to stay intact unless cut or damaged.