The mineral that can scratch glass but can be scratched by a steel file is quartz. Quartz has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, allowing it to scratch glass, which typically has a hardness of around 5.5. However, a steel file, which has a hardness of about 6.5 to 7, can scratch quartz.
To distinguish between a mineral with a hardness of 6 and one with a hardness of 4, you can use the glass plate and the copper penny for comparison. First, scratch the mineral against the glass plate; if it scratches the glass, it has a hardness greater than 5. Then, use the copper penny to scratch the mineral; if the mineral scratches the penny, it has a hardness greater than 3. If it scratches the glass but not the penny, it has a hardness of 6; if it scratches the penny but not the glass, it has a hardness of 4.
Fluorite is a mineral that is harder than calcite but won't scratch glass. Calcite has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, while fluorite has a hardness of 4. However, glass typically has a hardness of about 5.5, making it too hard for fluorite to scratch.
A mineral with a hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale can be scratched by anything harder than a 6, such as minerals with a hardness of 7 or higher. It will not be scratched by minerals with a hardness of 5 or lower.
There are two ways. One way is to buy a scratch test kit and follow the instructions. They will tell you to try to scratch minerals of certain hardnesses and find the hardest one it can scratch. For example, if it scratches a mineral with a hardness of 6 but not one with a hardness of 7, the hardness would be between 6 and 7. If you do not have one of those available, you can try scratching common objects. Your fingernail is 1.5, a penny is 2.5, a pocketknife blade is 5.0, window glass is 5.5, a steel file is 6.5, and quartz is 7.0.
The mineral that can scratch glass but can be scratched by a steel file is quartz. Quartz has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, allowing it to scratch glass, which typically has a hardness of around 5.5. However, a steel file, which has a hardness of about 6.5 to 7, can scratch quartz.
It would have to be 5.0 because glass has a hardness of 5.5 and an iron nail has the hardness of 4.5
The unknown mineral is not a mineral, or the pieces being scratched or doing the scratching are not freshly fractured or cleaved surfaces.
This mineral is likely quartz. Glass has a hardness level of around 5.5, while quartz has a hardness of 7. A nail, which is made of iron, generally has a hardness around 4.
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).
Quartz is the mineral that can scratch glass and be scratched by topaz. Quartz ranks 7 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, scratching glass which ranks around 5.5. Topaz, ranking 8 on the Mohs scale, can scratch quartz but not glass.
Between 3.5 and 5.5 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
The mineral would have a hardness between 5.5 and 6.5 on the Mohs scale. It cannot scratch glass (hardness of about 5.5) but can scratch an iron nail (hardness of about 4). This places it in the range of minerals like orthoclase feldspar or apatite.
The Mohs Scale of Hardness is used to measure hardness of a mineral, which is its resistance to scratching. It is a quantitative scale, which relies on the relative hardness of other minerals . Higher numbered minerals scratch lower numbered ones. You can use every day objects like a glass plate, a knife, or a nail to distinguish hard and soft. Hard minerals scratch glass, but can't be scratched with a knife blade of a nail. Soft minerals will not scratch glass, but can be scratched with a knife blade or masonry nail. You can purchase hardness kits to help make these distinctions.
Quartz will scratch glass, as its hardness is usually around 7. Pyrite, on the other hand, has a hardness of 6 to 6.5, meaning it would not be able to scratch glass.
To distinguish between a mineral with a hardness of 6 and one with a hardness of 4, you can use the glass plate and the copper penny for comparison. First, scratch the mineral against the glass plate; if it scratches the glass, it has a hardness greater than 5. Then, use the copper penny to scratch the mineral; if the mineral scratches the penny, it has a hardness greater than 3. If it scratches the glass but not the penny, it has a hardness of 6; if it scratches the penny but not the glass, it has a hardness of 4.
Fluorite is a mineral that is harder than calcite but won't scratch glass. Calcite has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, while fluorite has a hardness of 4. However, glass typically has a hardness of about 5.5, making it too hard for fluorite to scratch.