Mohs hardness scale
The Mohs hardness scale is a tool used to rank minerals by their ability to resist scratching. Developed by Friedrich Mohs in 1812, it ranges from 1 to 10, with talc as the softest (1) and diamond as the hardest (10). Each mineral can scratch those ranked lower and is scratched by those ranked higher. This scale helps identify minerals and understand their properties. For example, if a mineral can scratch quartz (ranked 7), but is scratched by topaz (ranked 8), its hardness would be between these two values.
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The Mohs Hardness Scale is a tool that ranks minerals based on their ability to scratch one another, helping to understand their hardness. It ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being the softest (talc) and 10 the hardest (diamond). Each mineral can scratch those below it on the scale but can be scratched by those above. For example, quartz (7) can scratch glass but is softer than topaz (8). This scale is useful for identifying minerals and understanding their properties in geology and materials science.