Frederick Mohs

Frederick Mohs was a 19th-century German geologist known for developing the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. This scale ranks minerals based on their ability to scratch or be scratched by other minerals, from talc (softest) to diamond (hardest). It helps geologists identify minerals in the field and laboratory by testing their hardness with common reference minerals. The scale is ordinal, meaning each step represents a qualitative increase in hardness, making it a practical tool for mineral identification and understanding the properties of Earth's materials.