Akademik

1. : a scale of hardness for minerals ranging from 1 for the softest to 10 for the hardest in which 1 represents the hardness of talc; 2, gypsum; 3, calcite; 4, fluorite; 5, apatite; 6, orthoclase; 7, quartz; 8, topaz; 9, corundum; 10, diamond

2. : a revised and expanded version of the original Mohs' scale in which 1 represents the hardness of talc; 2, gypsum; 3, calcite; 4, fluorite; 5, apatite; 6, orthoclase; 7, vitreous pure silica; 8, quartz; 9, topaz; 10, garnet; 11, fused zirconia; 12, fused alumina; 13, silicon carbide; 14, boron carbide; and 15, diamond

Mohs or Mohs' scale «mohz»,

1. a scale for classifying the relative hardness of minerals, as follows: talc 1; gypsum 2; calcite 3; fluorite 4; apatite 5; feldspar 6; quartz 7; topaz 8; corundum 9; diamond 10.

2. a modified form of this scale, arranged as follows: talc 1; gypsum 2; calcite 3; fluorite 4; apatite 5; orthoclase 6; vitreous silica 7; quartz 8; topaz 9; garnet 10; fused zirconia 11; fused alumina 12; silicon carbide 13; boron carbide 14; diamond 15.

╂[< Friedrich Mohs, 1773-1839, a German mineralogist, who invented it]

n. a scale of hardness used in classifying minerals. It runs from 1 to 10 using a series of reference minerals, and a position on the scale depends on the ability to scratch minerals rated lower