On the Mohs scale, what value is assigned to diamond?

On the Mohs scale, what value is assigned to diamond?

• A. 4
• B. 6
• C. 8
• D. 10

Answer: (D)

Hardness on the Mohs scale measures how easily a mineral can be scratched. The scale runs from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the hardest natural material. Diamond holds that top spot because it is the hardest natural substance and can scratch all minerals with lower hardness values; nothing is reliably harder than diamond, so only another diamond can scratch it. That’s why its value is 10. In everyday terms, this extreme hardness is why diamonds are prized for cutting and grinding. Other minerals in the scale, like fluorite at 4 or topaz at 8, are considerably softer and can be scratched by many materials, illustrating the wide gap up to diamond.

Hardness on the Mohs scale measures how easily a mineral can be scratched. The scale runs from 1 to 10, with 10 representing the hardest natural material. Diamond holds that top spot because it is the hardest natural substance and can scratch all minerals with lower hardness values; nothing is reliably harder than diamond, so only another diamond can scratch it. That’s why its value is 10. In everyday terms, this extreme hardness is why diamonds are prized for cutting and grinding. Other minerals in the scale, like fluorite at 4 or topaz at 8, are considerably softer and can be scratched by many materials, illustrating the wide gap up to diamond.