Is Obsidian Harder Than Granite

Though some rocks look identical they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others.

Is obsidian harder than granite.

It can scratch talc but not calcite which is even harder. Obsidian is not a genuine mineral or rock it is a natural glass that contains microscopic mineral crystals. Characteristics of rocks include texture appearance color fracture streak hardness etc. The mohs scale of mineral hardness m oʊ z is a qualitative ordinal scale characterizing scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of harder material to scratch softer material.

It can be scratched by all other materials. Obsidian is produced when felsic lava extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth it is commonly found within the margins of rhyolitic lava flows known as obsidian flows where the chemical composition high silica content causes a high viscosity which upon rapid cooling results in. Obsidian igneous rock occurring as a natural glass formed by the rapid cooling of viscous lava from volcanoes. Obsidian older than a few million years is rare because the glassy rock is rapidly destroyed or altered by weathering heat or other processes.

According to the scale talc is the softest. Obsidian is extremely rich in silica about 65 to 80 percent is low in water and has a chemical composition similar to rhyolite. Mohs scale of mineral hardness is named after friedrich mohs a mineralogist mohs scale is ordered by hardness determined by which minerals can scratch other minerals. Lonsdaleite is sometimes formed when meteorites containing graphite.

Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock. Obsidian is available in black blue brown green orange red tan yellow colors whereas andesite is available in bluish grey grey pink yellow colors. Created in 1812 by german geologist and mineralogist friedrich mohs it is one of several definitions of hardness in materials science some of which are more quantitative. Obsidian and granite are igneous rocks so called because they were formed from the molten magma of volcanoes.

Beyond that their similarities end. Granite the most common rock on the continental crust is composed of visible crystals. Obsidian has a glassy lustre and is slightly harder than window glass. It is confined to areas of geologically recent volcanic activity.

Diamonds of course are harder than all of these and still clock in at 7 on the all time list of hardest materials found or created on earth. Rocks are made up of one or more minerals. Obsidian is found in many locations worldwide. Granite vs obsidian characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks.

Appearance of obsidian is shiny and that of andesite is dull and soft. Despite the fact that they ve been surpassed by.