Q. Can glass scratch feldspar?
Glass is assigned a Mohs hardness number of 5.5 because it will scratch apatite (Mohs’ hardness number = 5) but will not scratch orthoclase feldspar (Mohs’ hardness number = 6). In addition to glass (5.5), copper pennies measure 3.5, and the average human fingernail averages a Mohs’ hardness of 2.5.
Q. Which minerals can be scratched by your fingernail?
- Mineral. Common Objects.
- Talc. Easily scratched by fingernail.
- Gypsum. Scratched by fingernail (2.5)
- Calcite. Very easily scratched by nail (5.5-6); will not scratch penny (3)
- Fluorite. Easily scratched by nail.
- Apatite. Difficult to scratch with nail; will not scratch glass (5.5-6)
- Feldspars.
- Quartz.
Q. Which mineral can scratch fluorite but is scratched by orthoclase feldspar?
It can be scratched by topaz, corundum, and diamond. Quartz will scratch minerals that have a lower number on the scale. Fluorite is one….Mohs Hardness Scale.
Table of Contents
| Hardness | Mineral |
|---|---|
| 3 | Calcite |
| 4 | Fluorite |
| 5 | Apatite |
| 6 | Orthoclase feldspar |
Q. What mineral Cannot scratch glass but scratches a fingernail?
Mineral Hardness Test Video
| Mineral | Hardness |
|---|---|
| Gypsum | |
| SOFT Mineral can be scratched with a fingernail | |
| Pink Feldspar | |
| HARD Mineral cannot be scratched with a steel nail. | |
Q. Can feldspar be scratched by a fingernail?
Terminology. Soft – can be scratched by a fingernail, Mohs’ 1-2; If a mineral cannot be scratched by a knife blade but can be scratched by quartz then its hardness is between 5 and 7 (stated as 5-7) on Mohs scale. A relative hardness value of 6.5 means that the mineral could scratch orthoclase (feldspar) but not quartz …
