Quartz is a crystalline material that exists in many forms, including stone, sand, and glass. Quartz is an extremely hard substance with a Mohs hardness rating between 7 and 8. Glass also has a Mohs hardness rating of 7 to 8 but it's not quite as hard as quartz because it's made from other materials such as sand or soda ash. Metals like steel or titanium are harder than both quartz and glass, but these numbers change depending on how the metals are treated during manufacture.
Quartz comes in two varieties -- synthetic, which is made artificially by heating quartz crystal with sand and natural quartz, which is found in nature. Glass is also available in two types, those that are naturally occurring, such as obsidian, and artificial glass.
Quartz is a mineral that occurs naturally in the earth's crust. Quartz has been found on every continent except Antarctica, and it is one of the most common minerals on our planet. Its most common form is quartzite, a metamorphic rock that contains large amounts of quartz crystals.
There are two types of quartz: synthetic and natural. Synthetic quartz is made artificially by heating natural quartz crystals with sand; this process also creates artificial glass (also called fused silica) and silicon dioxide (the main ingredient in sand). Natural quartz comes from quarries where it has been mined out of rocks like granite or feldspar; it can be found in many different colors and forms depending on how it was originally formed.
The hardness of a material is measured with the Mohs hardness scale. This scale goes from 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest material (talc) and 10 being the hardest (diamond).
This hardness is measured using the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, which measures from 1 to 10. 1 is the softest material and 10 is the hardest. Quartz is about a 7 or 8 on the Mohs scale, while glass measures between 5 and 6. Metals may be harder than both quartz and glass; however, materials like tungsten carbide are harder than diamonds and metals on this scale of hardness
Quartz measures between a 7 and 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Quartz is a hard crystalline mineral. Quartz does not occur freely in nature, but is found in many different locations, including the earth's crust. There are several different types of quartz, each with its own chemical composition and coloration. The most common type of quartz is called rock crystal or clear quartz and it has no color whatsoever. The other types of quartz include rose quartz (which is pink), smoky quartz (which has an opaque brownish tint) and citrine (which appears yellow).
Glass measures approximately 5 to 6 on this scale.
Glass is, in fact, softer than most other materials. Quartz, for example, measures approximately 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness. In general, glass measures between 5 and 6 on this scale—softer than quartz (and therefore easier to scratch), but harder than metals such as iron and copper. Glass may even be more resistant to scratches than steel or tungsten carbide because it can bend rather than crack when impacted.
Metals may be harder than both glass and quartz. Aluminum, for example, measures about 2.5 to 3 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Steel measures about 4 to 4.5. Titanium alloys measure about 6, hardened chromium steel about 8 and tungsten carbide about 9. Hardened tool steel rates at about 8 to 8.5 on this scale.
Glass is softer than quartz, which means it's more likely to scratch. Metals may be harder than glass and quartz. Aluminum, for example, measures about 2.5 to 3 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Steel measures about 4 to 4.5; titanium alloys measure about 6; hardened chromium steel rates at about 8; and tungsten carbide with a hardness of 9 or greater is among the hardest substances known to man (and also probably one of your favorite materials).
Hardened tool steel rates at around 8-8½ on this scale.
Quartz is a hard material, but it is not the hardest. Many metals are harder than quartz, including steel and titanium alloys. Glass is also softer than many metals, so keep an eye out for those as well!
