calcite
The mineral you are describing is calcite. Calcite contains both oxygen and carbon, and it has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, making it softer than fluorite (hardness of 4) but harder than gypsum (hardness of 2). Additionally, calcite is known for its characteristic effervescence when it comes into contact with dilute acid, due to the release of carbon dioxide gas.
An iron nail typically has a hardness of around 4 to 5 on the Mohs scale. Gypsum rates at about 2, while calcite is around 3. Therefore, since the iron nail is harder than gypsum and softer than calcite, it would likely rate closer to 4.
The mineral being described is likely calcite. Calcite is composed of oxygen and carbon, has a hardness between fluorite and gypsum, and fizzes quickly when in contact with acid due to its reaction to the acid's carbonate content.
Gypsum has a hardness of 2 on the Mohs scale, which means it can be easily scratched by substances like a fingernail. In comparison, talc, which is the softest mineral, has a hardness of 1, while gypsum is much softer than common materials like chalk or soapstone. This makes gypsum a relatively soft mineral, easily identifiable by its ability to be scratched with minimal force.
The mineral that is softer than a steel file but harder than glass is typically quartz. Quartz has a hardness of about 7 on the Mohs scale, while glass usually ranges around 5.5, and steel files can be harder, often rated around 6.5 to 7.5 depending on the specific type of steel. Therefore, quartz fits the criteria of being softer than a steel file but harder than glass.
No. Gypsum has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 2. Topaz has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 8. This means that topaz ranks much harder than gypsum and that gypsum cannot scratch topaz. Please do not refer to these numbers as absolute hardness. This does not mean that topaz is 4 times as hard as gypsum since they are ranked 8 and 2. The Mohs scale only designates a hardness scale of 1 through 10 so that geologists and mineralogists in the field have a quick way of determining a mineral's identity or eliminating possible options of what the mineral may be.
Calcite (CaCO3).
A harder mineral will scratch a softer one.
limestone
The mineral you are describing is calcite. Calcite contains both oxygen and carbon, and it has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, making it softer than fluorite (hardness of 4) but harder than gypsum (hardness of 2). Additionally, calcite is known for its characteristic effervescence when it comes into contact with dilute acid, due to the release of carbon dioxide gas.
An iron nail typically has a hardness of around 4 to 5 on the Mohs scale. Gypsum rates at about 2, while calcite is around 3. Therefore, since the iron nail is harder than gypsum and softer than calcite, it would likely rate closer to 4.
The mineral being described is likely calcite. Calcite is composed of oxygen and carbon, has a hardness between fluorite and gypsum, and fizzes quickly when in contact with acid due to its reaction to the acid's carbonate content.
True. In general, a mineral can scratch any mineral that is softer than itself according to Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness. This means that a mineral with a higher number on the scale can scratch a mineral with a lower number.
Most likely you would be testing to see if the mineral was harder or softer than the nail.
The mineral that scratches gypsum has a hardness greater than 2 on the Mohs scale. Gypsum has a hardness of 2 on the Mohs scale, so any mineral that can scratch it must have a hardness greater than 2.
On the Mohs hardness scale, Stibnite is about 2 while fingernails are about 2.2-2.5. This means that stibnite is softer than a fingernail, but only slightly.
No, gypsum cannot scratch diamond. Diamond is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale with a rating of 10, while gypsum is much softer with a rating of 2, which means diamond is able to scratch gypsum but not the other way around.