What is Mohs' scale of mineral hardness?
Q: What is Mohs' scale of mineral hardness?
A: Mohs' scale of mineral hardness is a system that is ordered by hardness and is named after Friedrich Mohs, a mineralogist.
Q: How is Mohs' scale determined?
A: Mohs' scale is determined by which minerals can scratch other minerals.
Q: What are rocks made up of?
A: Rocks are made up of one or more minerals.
Q: What is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale?
A: Talc is the softest mineral on the Mohs scale, as it can be scratched by all other materials.
Q: What is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale?
A: Diamond is the hardest mineral on the Mohs scale, always ranking at the top.
Q: What determines the hardness of a mineral?
A: The hardness of a mineral is mainly determined by the strength of the bonding between the atoms and partly by the size of the atoms.
Q: Is the Mohs scale perfect?
A: No, the Mohs scale is not perfect. Several minerals are now known to be harder than diamond. However, field geologists still find it very useful.
