The mineral ______ can be scratched by Diamond but not by Quartz. It can also be scratched by a drill bit but not by a steel nail.
Don't you need to have a word bank?
Talc
Gypsum
Calcite
Fluorite
Apatite
Orthoclase
Topaz
Corundum
Diamond
Here they are
Hm... I'm not sure, I haven't studied minerals yet
The mineral that fits this description is called corundum. Corundum is an aluminum oxide mineral that is one of the hardest minerals known to exist. It has a Mohs hardness scale rating of 9, making it one of the few minerals that can scratch diamond.
To understand why corundum meets the given criteria, we can break it down step by step:
1. Corundum can be scratched by a diamond: The Mohs hardness scale is a scale that measures the relative hardness of minerals based on their ability to scratch one another. Diamond, ranking at the highest level of 10 on the scale, is incredibly hard and can scratch anything below it, including corundum.
2. Corundum cannot be scratched by quartz: Quartz has a hardness rating of 7 on the Mohs scale. This means that corundum, being harder with a rating of 9, can easily scratch quartz.
3. Corundum can be scratched by a drill bit: Drill bits are typically made from high-speed steel, which is designed to be extremely hard. They often have a hardness rating of 7 to 8 on the Mohs scale. As corundum has a hardness of 9, it is harder than the drill bit and can be scratched by it.
4. Corundum cannot be scratched by a steel nail: Steel nails have a hardness rating of around 4 to 5. Since corundum has a hardness rating of 9, it is much harder than the steel nail and cannot be scratched by it.
In summary, corundum fits the given description as it can be scratched by diamond and a drill bit but not by quartz or a steel nail, highlighting its exceptional hardness.