The Mohs scale shows the range of which mineral property?

The Mohs scale shows the range of which mineral property?

• A. Color
• B. Density
• C. Luster
• D. Hardness

Answer: (D)

Hardness is what the Mohs scale measures—the mineral’s resistance to scratching. The Mohs scale is a simple, qualitative ranking that orders minerals by how easily they can scratch one another. Starting with a soft mineral like talc and ending with diamond, each step means the mineral at that level can scratch all the ones below it but can be scratched by all that are above it. This makes it a relative measure of scratch resistance, not an absolute value. Color, density, and luster are not what the scale assesses. Color can vary widely within a mineral due to impurities; density is about how heavy a mineral is for its size and says nothing about scratch resistance; luster describes how light reflects off the surface, not how hard the mineral is.

Hardness is what the Mohs scale measures—the mineral’s resistance to scratching. The Mohs scale is a simple, qualitative ranking that orders minerals by how easily they can scratch one another. Starting with a soft mineral like talc and ending with diamond, each step means the mineral at that level can scratch all the ones below it but can be scratched by all that are above it. This makes it a relative measure of scratch resistance, not an absolute value.

Color, density, and luster are not what the scale assesses. Color can vary widely within a mineral due to impurities; density is about how heavy a mineral is for its size and says nothing about scratch resistance; luster describes how light reflects off the surface, not how hard the mineral is.