Author Question: Use the absolute hardness scale (Figure 2.4) to determine how many times harder fluorite is than ... (Read 65 times)

CBme · **on:** Jul 16, 2018

Use the absolute hardness scale (Figure 2.4) to determine how many times harder fluorite is than gypsum.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Why is color not always a useful property in identifying a mineral?

What will be an ideal response?

CourtneyCNorton · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 16, 2018

Answer to Question 1

According to Figure 2.4, fluorite is 20 times harder than talc and gypsum is 2 times harder than talc, so fluorite is 10 times harder than gypsum.

Answer to Question 2

Color is not a useful property in identifying a mineral because a mineral's color can vary significantly with very small changes in composition and because many different minerals can be the same color.