MOHS or Measure of Hardness Scale

MOHS Scale and Gems vs Minerals: Go through this activity!

MOHS Story-at bottom of page, click "Mohs Story"

Hardness	Mineral		Associations and Uses
1	Talc		Talcum powder.
2	Gypsum	2.5   fingernail	Plaster of paris. Gypsum is formed when seawater evaporates from the Earth’s surface.
3	Calcite	3      penny	Limestone and most shells contain calcite.
4	Fluorite		Fluorine from fluorite prevents tooth decay.
5	Apatite	5      nail	Apatite is a mineral in vertebrate bones and teeth.
6	Orthoclase	6.5   glass	Orthoclase is a feldspar, and in German, "feld" means "field".
7	Quartz	7.5  steel file	Quartz is the most common mineral in the Earth's crust.
8	Topaz		The November birthstone. Emerald and aquamarine are varieties of beryl with a hardness of 8.
9	Corundum		Sapphire and ruby are varieties of corundum. Twice as hard as topaz.
10	Diamond		Used in jewelry and cutting tools. Four times as hard as corundum.