Question

1. Juan is trying to identify an unknown mineral. He can scratch the mineral with

his fingernail. The mineral MUST be
Mohs Hardness Scale
Mineral Name Scale Number
Common Object
Diamond
10
• Corundum
9
Masonry Drill BiH
Topaz
(8,5)
Quartz
Steel Nail (6.5)
Orthoclase
Knife/Glass
Apatite
Plate (5.5)
Fluorite
Copper Penny (3.5)
Calcite
Fingernail (25)
Gypsum
Talc
8
7
Increasing Hardness
6
a gypsum.
b. fluorite.
C. apatite, .
d. quartz

Answer 1

a gypsum.

Step-by-step explanation:

On the moh's scale of hardness, minerals that are above another can be scratched by the one below.

The moh's scale is used to measure the hardness of a substance.

• Hardness increases upward on the scale
• Since gypsum and talc are found below the hardness of fingernail.
• They can easily be scratched by the fingernail.