Mohs hardness test

The Mohs Hardness Test is a method used to measure the hardness of minerals. Developed by mineralogist Friedrich Mohs in 1812, it ranks minerals on a scale from 1 to 10, with talc at 1 (very soft) and diamond at 10 (extremely hard). To determine a mineral's hardness, you scratch it against other minerals on the scale. If it can scratch another mineral, it's harder; if not, it's softer. This test helps identify minerals and is valuable in geology, jewelry, and materials science by assessing their durability and resistance to scratching.