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Q: Why is streak and hardness poor tests used to identify gold?
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Does hardness help identify a mineral?

Hardness alone is not a good way to identify a mineral, other properties such as streak color, cleavage, opacity, ect also need to be taken into consideration. There is no "quick way" to properly identify a mineral.


What do mineralogists do to identify minerals?

Hardness, luster, and scratch color help narrow down the possibilities . . . specific gravity and chemical analyses follow. As an example, gold and pyrite look about the same - both have a somewhat shiny luster. The streak color, though is black for pyrite and yellowish for gold. Hardness of pyrite is 6-something on the hardness scale, and gold is around 2.5, which is much softer.


What are the seven basic physical properties of minerals?

.A Ruby.A Gold Nugget.Coal.Brass.Obsidian.Basalt.Fluorite


What is the physical property that is used to find if its pyrite or gold?

I would say streak (Is that a physical property?). Gold has a yellow streak, pyrite a very distinguishable greenish-black to brownish-black. [A streak is obtained by scratching a mineral (or rock) on a streak plate (a white plate made of porcelain (floor tile-like), with a hardness of around 6.5 (Mohs scale)] If streak is not a physical property I would say hardness: gold has a hardness of 2.5, pyrite of around 6. I'm sure there are other usuable physical properties, as density for ex.


What test is used to identify gold from pyrite?

When dragged across a streak plate, gold will leave a yellow streak, pyrite will leave a greenish-black streak. It is one way of differentiating gold from pyrite.


What is a streak when it comes to talking about science?

'streak' is the color that a mineral will leave when rubbed on a piece of unglazed porcelain. It is used to help identify the mineral. For example, arsenopyrite looks very similar to gold, but has a dark grey or black streak. Gold has a yellow streak.


What are the two best property tests to see if you have real gold or fool's gold?

One way would be to perform a streak test by sliding the sample across an unglazed tile with a little bit of pressure. Gold will have a gold colored streak and pyrite will have a greenish black streak. After exposure to flame, pyrite will have a slight sulfur smell which gold will not. == == == ==


How is fools gold like and different than gold?

Pyrite and gold are similar in color, and both are relatively heavy when compared to other minerals and rock. Pyrite fractures when hit with a hammer. Gold, however, is malleable. Pyrite leaves a brownish-black streak on a streak plate. Gold leaves a gold-colored streak. Gold is nearly 4 times as heavy as pyrite. Gold is much softer than pyrite on the Mohs hardness scale.


What is the difference in streak between gold and Fool's Gold?

Gold will have a gold metallic streak, and Fool's Gold (pyrite) will have a greenish black streak.


What is the streak of platinum?

Yellow.


How streak is used to distinguish between gold and pyrite?

Gold will have a yellow metallic streak, pyrite will have a greenish-black streak.


How do you tell the difference between gold the metal and pyrite also known as fool's gold?

To tell the difference between pyrite and real gold, you can check the color and shape of the ore. Gold and pyrite have a yellowish color but pyrite has a pale and brassy color compared to gold. Pyrites are shaped more like crystals while gold tends to form as a nugget. Another difference between the two is that gold can be scratched with a pocketknife while pyrite cannot be scratched. You also can use the malleability and odor tests.