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The property of a mineral that is determined by scratching is its hardness. A mineral can be identified by its hardness; for example Talc, which is 1 on Mohs scale of hardness is very soft and can be scratched by a fingernail, as can most common forms of gypsum. Apatite, which is 5 on mohs scale of hardness can be scratched by a steel knife or window glass, whereas Quartz (7) cannot. Diamond is the hardest in the scale at 10, it is almost 4 times as hard as Corundum (9 on mohs scale). Some other ways of determining a type of mineral are: Cleavage/Fracture Chemical Formula Luster Density Streak Specific Gravity Interference colors, twinning, pleochroism & extinction angles can be viewed under an optical microscope with plane and cross polarized light

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Laurie Hammes

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2y ago

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Related Questions

Scratching a mineral with a nail is a test of what?

Scratching a mineral with a nail is a test of hardness. It helps determine the relative hardness of the mineral compared to known substances on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.


Blank' is a measure of how well a mineral resists scratching?

Hardness is a measure of how well a mineral resists scratching. This property is determined using the Mohs scale, which ranks minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).


What is it called when you perform a scratch test on a mineral?

It is called a streak and its purpose is to find the hardness of the mineral.


What does the property of mineral hardness measure?

Mineral hardness measures the resistance of a mineral to scratching or abrasion. It is determined by the ability of a mineral to scratch another mineral or be scratched by it, as defined by the Mohs scale of hardness.


True or false the streak test is a test of mineral density?

False. The streak test is not a test of mineral density but is used to determine the color of a mineral in powdered form by scratching it on a ceramic plate.


What is scratching a mineral against a glass plate and rubbing a mineral on a streak plate helpful procedure for determining in a mineral?

Scratching a mineral against a glass plate helps determine the mineral's hardness based on the scratches produced. Rubbing a mineral on a streak plate helps identify the color of the mineral's streak, which can be different from its outer color due to impurities or weathering. These procedures are commonly used in mineral identification.


What is the mineral properties of preform scratch test?

The preform scratch test is primarily used to determine the hardness of minerals. This test involves scratching the surface of a mineral with a standardized material (often a metal or another mineral) to assess its resistance to scratching. The results help classify the mineral according to the Mohs hardness scale, which ranges from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond). Additionally, the nature of the scratch (depth, ease of scratching) can provide insights into the mineral's overall physical properties.


What is a measure of how well a mineral resist scratching?

Mohs hardness scale is a measure of how well a mineral resists scratching. It ranks minerals on a scale from 1 (talc, very soft) to 10 (diamond, very hard). By testing the ability of one mineral to scratch another, we can determine their relative hardness.


A diamond is the hardest natural substance is this a physical or chemical property?

The hardness of a diamond is a physical property because it pertains to the material's ability to withstand scratching and abrasion. It is determined by the structural arrangement of its atoms and the strength of its covalent bonds.


What do you call a color of a mineral's powder found by scratching the mineral on a white tile?

The color of a mineral's powder found by scratching the mineral on a white tile is referred to as the mineral's streak color.


How do you determine the streak of a mineral and why is streak a useful property?

you see and feel how shiney it is


What mineral cannot resist scratching by any other mineral?

This is diamond.