Mohs Scale (Noun)
Meaning
A scale of hardness of solids; talc is 0 and diamond is 10; ordering is determined by which substance can scratch another substance.
Classification
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas.
Examples
- The geologist used the Mohs scale to determine the hardness of the mineral samples she collected from the field.
- The Mohs scale is a useful tool for identifying minerals, as it provides a simple and effective way to determine their relative hardness.
- Diamond, with a Mohs scale rating of 10, is the hardest substance known, while talc, with a rating of 0, is the softest.
- The mineral's Mohs scale rating of 7 indicated that it was relatively hard, but could still be scratched by quartz or topaz.
- By using the Mohs scale, the student was able to determine that the mineral sample was likely feldspar, as it was able to scratch calcite but not quartz.