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How do I determine if an element is harder than the other?

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dan_c_23:
How do I determine if an element is harder than the other, for example calcium and magnesium, they're in the same family but how do I know which one is the harder element.

Mitch:
look up their density.

dan_c_23:
their mass???

Mitch:
density. To a first approximation.

madscientist:
plotting Moh's (minerological hardness) against atomic number gives:

http://www.webelements.com/webelements/properties/text/image-bars/hardness-brinell.html

quote "Posted by: Mitch  Posted on: Today at 03:58:29pm  
look up their density. " end quote  

Mitch I thought that at first too but then thought about lead and iron,

Lead has a density of 11.3 g cm3

and density of iron is 7.86 g cm3

in this case lead is more dense but using logic if i took an iron nail to a lump of lead i know that the iron nail would scratch the lead?

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