10 Mohs hardness scale and some common uses
10 Mohs hardness scale and some common uses
This is a Mohs hardness scale, which is a tool used to measure the relative hardness of minerals. The scale consists of 10 minerals, arranged in order of increasing hardness. The softest mineral, talc, is assigned a hardness of 1, while the hardest mineral, diamond, is assigned a hardness of 10.
Here is a description of each mineral on the Mohs hardness scale, along with its hardness and some common uses:
- Talc (hardness 1): Talc is a very soft mineral that can be easily scratched by a fingernail. It is used in baby powder, cosmetics, and soapstone.
- Gypsum (hardness 2): Gypsum is a soft mineral that can be scratched by a fingernail. It is used in drywall, plaster, and cement.
- Calcite (hardness 3): Calcite is a moderately soft mineral that can be scratched by a penny. It is used in limestone, marble, and antacids.
- Fluorite (hardness 4): Fluorite is a moderately soft mineral that can be scratched by a knife. It is used in toothpaste, refrigerants, and non-stick cookware.
- Apatite (hardness 5): Apatite is a moderately hard mineral that can be scratched by a knife. It is used in fertilizer, toothpaste, and bone cement.
- Feldspar (hardness 6): Feldspar is a hard mineral that can scratch glass. It is used in ceramics, glass, and sandpaper.
- Quartz (hardness 7): Quartz is a very hard mineral that can scratch glass. It is used in sandpaper, countertops, and electronics.
- Topaz (hardness 8): Topaz is a very hard mineral that can scratch glass. It is used as a gemstone.
- Corundum (hardness 9): Corundum is a second-hardest mineral and can scratch all other minerals except diamond. It is used in sandpaper, abrasives, and gemstones (sapphire and ruby).
- Diamond (hardness 10): Diamond is the hardest mineral and cannot be scratched by any other substance. It is used in jewelry and industrial applications.
The Mohs hardness scale is a simple and effective way to measure the hardness of minerals. It is often used by geologists, mineralogists, and gemologists to identify minerals and to assess their suitability for particular applications.
The image you sent me does not include diamond, which is the hardest material according to the Mohs scale. Diamond is also the hardest material known to science. It is so hard that it can only be scratched by another diamond. Diamonds are formed under extreme pressure and heat deep within the Earth’s mantle. They are brought to the surface through volcanic eruptions or by the movement of tectonic plates. Diamonds are used in jewelry and industrial applications.