EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -The Mohs Hardness Scale is used as a convenient way to help identify minerals. A mineral’s hardness is a measure of its relative resistance to scratching, measured by scratching the mineral against another substance of known hardness on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

Detailed explanation-2: -For measuring the hardness of a mineral, several common objects that can be used for scratching are helpful, such as a fingernail, a copper coin, a steel pocketknife, glass plate or window glass, the steel of a needle, and a streak plate (an unglazed black or white porcelain surface).

Detailed explanation-3: -The three most commonly used are the Brinell test, the Vicker’s Diamond test, and the Rockwell test. All three methods involve indentation of the material. The hardness is calculated by measuring the force applied and comparing this to some geometrical aspect of the indentation such as the surface area or depth.

Detailed explanation-4: -A hardness test is typically performed by pressing a specifically dimensioned and loaded object (indenter) into the surface of the material you are testing. The hardness is determined by measuring the depth of indenter penetration or by measuring the size of the impression left by an indenter.

Detailed explanation-5: -Observe the two minerals closely. Write down your observations of how they feel and look. Using the pointed end of the nail, carefully try to scratch the surface of the quartz. Now try to scratch the rock salt with the nail. If you have other minerals, repeat this test on each of the minerals.