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A mineral's resistance to being scratched is known as it's hardness. You can determine hardness by scratching it with another material whose hardness is already known. If it can be scratched, then the hardness is lower. If the unknown leaves a scratch on the known material, then its hardness is higher.

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What do scientists use to determine mineral hardness?

Scientists use the Mohs scale of mineral hardness to determine the relative hardness of minerals. This scale ranks minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest) based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by other minerals. By performing a scratch test, scientists can identify a mineral's hardness by comparing it to known minerals on the Mohs scale.


What property are geologists focusing on when they do scratch tests?

Geologists focus on the hardness property of minerals when they perform scratch tests. This test helps determine the resistance of a mineral to being scratched by another material, which can be indicative of its mineral type.


What scale compares resistance of the surfaces of minerals to scratching?

The scale that compares the resistance of the surfaces of minerals to scratching is called the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. It ranks minerals on a scale from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest) based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by other minerals.


What test uses the Moho scale?

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is used to determine the scratch resistance of minerals by ranking them from softest (1) to hardest (10) based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by another material. It is commonly used by geologists, mineralogists, and in fields like gemology to identify and classify minerals based on their hardness.


How do we use the mohs scale to identify minerals?

The Mohs scale is used to determine the hardness of minerals by scratching the mineral with a series of standard minerals ranked from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest). By comparing the ability of the mineral to scratch or be scratched by these standard minerals, you can estimate its hardness.

Related Questions

What scientist use to determine a minerals resistance to being scratched?

Moh's hardness scale was used to determine a mineral's resistance to being scratched. The tendency of a mineral to break along smooth flat surfaces is cleavage.


What do scientists use to determine mineral hardness?

Scientists use the Mohs scale of mineral hardness to determine the relative hardness of minerals. This scale ranks minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest) based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by other minerals. By performing a scratch test, scientists can identify a mineral's hardness by comparing it to known minerals on the Mohs scale.


What is the resistance to being scratched is a minerals?

This describes a mineral's Mohs hardness.


What is The resistance to being scratched is a minerals what?

This describes a mineral's Mohs hardness.


Which mineral property describes minerals resistance to being scratched?

That would be its Mohs hardness.


What property are geologists focusing on when they do scratch tests?

Geologists focus on the hardness property of minerals when they perform scratch tests. This test helps determine the resistance of a mineral to being scratched by another material, which can be indicative of its mineral type.


What scale compares resistance of the surfaces of minerals to scratching?

The scale that compares the resistance of the surfaces of minerals to scratching is called the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. It ranks minerals on a scale from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest) based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by other minerals.


What minerals can be scratched by all other minerals?

science


What test uses the Moho scale?

The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is used to determine the scratch resistance of minerals by ranking them from softest (1) to hardest (10) based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by another material. It is commonly used by geologists, mineralogists, and in fields like gemology to identify and classify minerals based on their hardness.


What minerals can be scratched by penny?

nickel


What minerals can be scratched with a knife?

Minerals that have a hardness less than that of a knife blade (5.5 on the Mohs scale) can be scratched with a knife. These minerals include gypsum, calcite, and talc.


Describe how to find the hardness of unknown mineral?

Minerals are tested for hardness by performing a scratch test. The unknown mineral is scratched with another object that the hardness is known. For example, a unknown mineral may be scratched with a piece of metal to compare the resistance.