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Diamond was the hardest known naturally occurring mineral when the scale was designed, and defines the top of the scale, arbitrarily set at 10. The hardness of a material is measured against the scale by finding the hardest material that the given material can scratch, or the softest material that can scratch the given material.
Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body and contains the highest percentage of minerals, [3] 96%, with water and organic material composing the rest. [4] The primary mineral is hydroxyapatite, which is a crystalline calcium phosphate. [5] Enamel is formed on the tooth while the tooth is developing within the gum, before it erupts into ...
This is a list of minerals which have Wikipedia articles. Minerals are distinguished by various chemical and physical properties.
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The mineral is the inorganic component of mineralized tissues. This constituent is what makes the tissues harder and stiffer. [1] [2] Hydroxyapatite, calcium carbonate, silica, calcium oxalate, whitlockite, and monosodium urate are examples of minerals found in biological tissues.
The high mineral content of enamel, which makes this tissue the hardest in the human body, also makes it demineralize in a process that often occurs as dental caries, otherwise known as cavities. [13] Demineralization occurs for several reasons, but the most important cause of tooth decay is the ingestion of fermentable carbohydrates.
Talc, or talcum, is a clay mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate, with the chemical formula Mg 3 Si 4 O 10 (OH) 2. Talc in powdered form, often combined with corn starch, is used as baby powder. This mineral is used as a thickening agent and lubricant. It is an ingredient in ceramics, paints, and roofing material.
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness, based on scratch hardness comparison, defines value 1 as the hardness of talc, the softest mineral. When scraped on a streak plate , talc produces a white streak, though this indicator is of little importance, because most silicate minerals produce a white streak.