Question

an unknown mineral cannot be scratched by any other known mineral. which mineral is most likely the unknown? a diamond because it is the softest mineral a diamond because it is the hardest mineral. talc because it is the softest mineral. a diamond because it is the softest mineral

Explanation:

Hardness is a key property of minerals. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness ranks minerals from 1 (softest, like talc) to 10 (hardest, diamond). If a mineral cannot be scratched by any other known mineral, it must be the hardest one. Diamond has a Mohs hardness of 10, which is the highest. Talc has a Mohs hardness of 1 (softest). So, the unknown mineral is diamond because it is the hardest.

Answer:

A diamond because it is the hardest mineral.