minearls
The mineral that can be scratched by glass but not a penny is calcite. Calcite has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, which is lower than the hardness of glass (5.5) but higher than that of a penny (2.5).
The mineral that can be scratched by a penny is talc. Talc is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale, with a hardness of 1. A penny has a hardness of around 3.5 on the Mohs scale.
topaz
A mineral that can be scratched by a penny (which has a hardness of about 3.5 on the Mohs scale) but not by a fingernail (which has a hardness of about 2.5 to 3) would have a hardness between 3 and 3.5. This means the mineral's hardness is likely around 3.2 to 3.4, indicating it is softer than the penny but harder than a fingernail. Examples of minerals that fit this description could include calcite or gypsum, depending on their specific characteristics.
Copper sulfide minerals, such as chalcocite and bornite, can be scratched by a penny but not a fingernail. This is due to the Mohs hardness scale, where these minerals have a hardness greater than a penny (3.5) but less than a fingernail (2.5).
A mineral can be tested for hardness using a fingernail, penny, or nail, which are common items that serve as reference points on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. For instance, a fingernail has a hardness of about 2.5, while a copper penny is around 3.5. If a mineral can be scratched by a fingernail, it is softer than 2.5; if it can be scratched by a penny but not a fingernail, it falls between 2.5 and 3.5. This simple test helps in identifying the mineral's hardness and assists in classification.
Between 3.5 and 5.5 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
When you scratch a mineral with a penny, nail, and your fingernail, you are testing the mineral's hardness. The ability to scratch or be scratched by certain materials helps determine the mineral's hardness on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
A penny would scratch minerals with a lower hardness rating such as calcite, gypsum, or talc. Minerals like quartz or topaz would not be scratched by a penny because they are harder than the metal in a penny.
The mineral that you can't scratch with your fingernail but can be scratched by a copper penny is calcite. Calcite has a hardness of about 3 on the Mohs scale, while fingernails have a hardness of around 2.5. A copper penny, which has a hardness of approximately 3.5, can easily scratch calcite.
no
A penny has a Mohs hardness of around 3.5. This means that it can be scratched by harder materials like glass or quartz, but it can scratch softer materials such as chalk or talc.