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.
Calcite is a mineral that can be easily scratched by a steel nail due to its relatively low hardness compared to steel.
apatite, cobalt, zirconium, palladium, tooth enamel, obsidian (volcanic glass)
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.
Garnet, a mineral with a hardness of 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs scale, can scratch materials with a hardness lower than itself, like glass, steel, and softer minerals such as calcite and fluorite.
Using the Mohs Mineral Hardness scale, calcite has a hardness of 3. Hence anything with a hardness of 3 or above can scratch calcite (i.e...quartz and fluorite).
Diamond is the hardest mineral that can scratch a steel knife or window glass.
apatite with a steel knife feldspar with window glass
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GypsumHardnessMineralAssociations and Uses1Talc (Softest)Talcum powder. (can be scratched by a fingernail.)2GypsumPlaster of paris.Gypsum is formed when seawater evaporates from the Earth's surface. (May be scratched by a fingernail or by a copper coin.)3CalciteLimestone and most shells contain calcite.(Can be scratched by a steel pocket knife or sometimes a copper coin. Will scratch a fingernail, may scratch a copper coin.)4FluoriteFluorine in fluorite prevents tooth decay.(Can be scratched by a steel pocket knife. Will scratch a fingernail and a copper coin.)5ApatiteWhen you are hungry you have a big "appetite".(Can be scratched by a steel pocket knife. Will scratch a fingernail and a copper coin.)6OrthoclaseOrthoclase is a feldspar, and in German, "feld" means "field".(Will not scratch glass but will scratch steel blades, copper coins & fingernails.)7Quartz (Will scratch glass, steel blades, copper coins & fingernails.)8TopazThe November birthstone. Emerald and aquamarine are varieties of beryl with a hardness of 8. (Will scratch glass, steel blades, copper coins & fingernails.)9CorundumSapphire and ruby are varieties of corundum. Twice as hard as topaz.(Will scratch glass, steel blades, copper coins & fingernails.)10Diamond (hardest)Used in jewelry and cutting tools. Four times as hard as corundum.(Will scratch all of the above.)
Copper. Copper has a hardness of 2.5-3 on the Mohs scale, while a steel knife generally has a hardness of around 5.5 - 6.5. This means that a steel knife can scratch copper, but a copper penny cannot scratch a steel knife.
Calcite is a mineral that can be easily scratched by a steel nail due to its relatively low hardness compared to steel.
Copper and steel have hardness of around 3 and 6 respectively on the Mohs scale. You can use them to test any mineral, and roughly estimate its hardness. If it's scratched by copper, it's less than 3, if it's scratched by steel but not by copper, it's between 3 and 6, if neither copper nor steel scratches it, then it's above 6.
apatite, cobalt, zirconium, palladium, tooth enamel, obsidian (volcanic glass)
will 0000 rock wool scratch windsheild glass
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.
Garnet, a mineral with a hardness of 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs scale, can scratch materials with a hardness lower than itself, like glass, steel, and softer minerals such as calcite and fluorite.
A steel knife can scratch minerals with a hardness lower than that of steel, such as gypsum, calcite, fluorite, and talc. Minerals like quartz, topaz, and corundum are harder than steel and cannot be easily scratched by a steel knife.