Today in Science by Tammy Hershey

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Slide Notes

Today in Science

Published on Mar 05, 2017

Overview

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Moh's Scale of Hardness

The resistance to scratching

Photo by antxoa

1. Talc

The softest mineral

Photo by James St. John

#2 Gypsum

2 - 2.5 (scratched with a fingernail)

Photo by S. Rae

#3 - Calcite

Harder than gypsum and talc

Photo by Drriss & Marrionn

#4 - Fluorite

5.0 - 5.5 - steel nail

Photo by arbyreed

#5 Apatite

Photo by someHerrings

Glass - 5.5

minerals will scratch the glass if harder than it is

Photo by trustypics

#6 - Feldspar/Orthoclase

streak plate is 6.5

Photo by UCL Mathematical & Physical Sciences

#7 - Quartz

There are MANY varieties of quartz

Photo by Mark_W

#8 - Topaz

Photo by James St. John

#9 - Corundum

Photo by mharrsch

#10 - diamond

Photo by nSeika

Why use this quantitative property?

to help us identify unknown minerals

Photo by Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos

Tammy Hershey