Mohs scale

[ mohz ]

noun
  1. a scale of hardness used in mineralogy. Its degrees, in increasing hardness, are: talc 1; gypsum 2; calcite 3; fluorite 4; apatite 5; feldspar 6; quartz 7; topaz 8; sapphire 9; diamond 10. Abbreviation: MSH

Origin of Mohs scale

1
1875–80; named after F. Mohs (1773–1839), German mineralogist

Words Nearby Mohs scale

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British Dictionary definitions for Mohs scale

Mohs scale

/ (məʊz) /


noun
  1. a scale for expressing the hardness of solids by comparing them with ten standards ranging from talc, with a value of 1, to diamond, with a value of 10

Origin of Mohs scale

1
C19: named after Friedrich Mohs (1773–1839), German mineralogist

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Mohs scale

Mohs scale

[ mōz ]


  1. A scale used to measure the relative hardness of a mineral by its resistance to scratching. From softest to hardest, the ten minerals of the Mohs scale are talc (measuring 1 on the scale), gypsum, calcite, fluorite, apatite, orthoclase, quartz, topaz, corundum, and diamond (measuring 10 on the scale).

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