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Mohs Scale

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Mohs scale [′mōz ‚skāl]
(mineralogy)
An empirical scale consisting of 10 minerals with reference to which the hardness of all other minerals is measured; it includes, from softest (designated 1) to hardest (10): talc, gypsum, calcite, fluorite, apatite, orthoclase, quartz, topaz, corundum, and diamond.

Mohs’ Scale 

a ten-point scale for measuring the relative hardness of minerals. Proposed by the German scientist F. Mohs in 1811, the scale (see Table 1) comprises ten standards of hardness.

Table 1. Mohs’ scale of hardness
1Talc6Orthoclase
2Gypsum7Quartz
3Calcite8Topaz
4Fluorite9Corundum
5Apatite10Diamond

The relative hardness is determined by scratching the surface of the test specimen with a standard of the Mohs’ scale. If, for example, the standard apatite, having a hardness of 5, scratches the specimen and the specimen itself leaves a mark on the surface of fluorite, the standard with a hardness of 4, then the hardness of the mineral being tested is approximately 4.5. Mohs’ scale facilitates the rapid identification of minerals.



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Diamonds rate as a 10 on the Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness.
3 on Mohs scale of hardness, gold was much too pliable to be hammered into workable tools or weapons.
This technique originated from the Mohs scale of mineral hardness developed in 1812, in which one material is considered to be harder if it can leave a permanent scratch on another material.
 
 
 
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