answersLogoWhite

0


Want this question answered?

Be notified when an answer is posted

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: If an unknown mineral has a hardness between 5 and 9 what could you do to the mineral to find out more about its hardness?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Could corundum scratch topaz?

Yes. Corundum will scratch topaz and every other mineral with a hardness of 9 or lower on the Mohs hardness scale.


Is unknown opaque a non-metallic mineral?

You do not provide enough information for us to answer this question.


What can scratch peridot?

A peridot could scratch any mineral with a Mohs hardness of 6.5 or less. Click on the link below for information on the Mohs hardness scale.


What are ways to test a mineral?

You could test for hardness, streak, cleavage, fluorescence, reaction to acid, radioactivity, flame test, etc.


What mineral you can scratch with your fingernail?

The most commonly known mineral that can be scratched with a fingernail is talc.


A student broke a mineral sample with a type of a hammer on a sharp chisel what property is he investigating?

He is either investigating if it is facture or cleavage. Or he could be trying to test it's hardness. He is either investigating if it is facture or cleavage. Or he could be trying to test it's hardness.


Why is the hardness of a rock sometimes referred to as a scratchability?

Sometimes the concept of hardness is confused with whether or not a mineral will break. It is important to understand that even though a diamond is extremely hard, it can shatter if given a hard enough blow in the right direction along the crystal. Hope this helps!


Two minerals have the same color and luster what else could you use to identify the mineral?

Examples of mineral characteristics: - density - hardness - refractive index - chemical composition - magnetic properties - cleavage - crystal system - radioactivity


Why could the streak of corundum be difficult to determine?

The mineral corundum, with a Mohs hardness of 9, will be harder than a ceramic streak plate and therefore leave no streak.


Which is harder basalt or granite?

Both basalt and granite are types of rock, and a rock is composed of multiple minerals - except for some rocks composed of essentially one mineral like limestone (calcite) or quartzite (quartz). Minerals are crystalline compounds with known characteristics such as hardness, specific gravity, etc Therefore the hardness of the rock depends on the exact location on the rock you are testing the hardness, as it will vary from mineral to mineral. Some minerals even have differential hardness. Granite is composed of quartz, feldspar, and usually some ferromagnesian minerals such as biotite or hornblende (depending on the definition of a granite). Basalt is composed mostly of plagioclase (a feldspar) and pyroxene. Each of those minerals has a different hardness, and geologists never use the hardness of a "rock" to determine what kind of rock it is. Basalt is usually much finer grained than granite so it would be virtually impossible to determine the hardness of the individual mineral crystals. On Moh's hardness scale, the hardness of these rock-forming minerals are as follows: Quartz 7 Feldspar 6 (depending on the species of feldspar) Biotite 2.5-3 Pyroxene 5-6 (depending on the species of pyroxene) So the hardness of a rock is determined by the minerals, and in a coarse grained rock like a granite, the hardness can vary widely. The hardest mineral in granite (quartz) is harder than the hardest mineral in basalt (feldspar), but that's not enough to say that granite is conclusively harder than basalt. The resistance to breaking of a rock (which could be confused with the apparent hardness to a non-expert) is greatly affected by fractures, weathering, induration, welding, and many other features which are independent of mineral content.


How could you determine the hardness rating for a mineral not listed on the scale?

Moh's Scale of Hardness # Talk # Gypsum # Calcite # Fluorite # Apatite # Orthocalse Feldspar # Quartz # Topaz # Corundum # Diamond Has only 10 minerals in it. There are literally 100s if minerals to be found in the rocks that are not used in the scale but that can have their hardness related to the scale. e.g. graphite, galena, beryl, zircon etc.


How could a determine whether an unknown substance was a mineral?

A mineral is any chemical compound with a constant chemical composition, which of course is the definition of a "pure substance". In earth science you might be distinguishing between "rock" and "mineral". A mineral is a pure substance. A rock is a mixture of two or more minerals in various proportions. For instance, the rock granite is made up of three minerals: quartz, feldspar and biotite (mica).