On the Mohs hardness scale, which mineral is the hardest?

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Multiple Choice

On the Mohs hardness scale, which mineral is the hardest?

Explanation:
On the Mohs scale, hardness means scratch resistance: a harder mineral can scratch one that is softer. Diamond is ranked at 10, the highest level, so nothing in the standard set can scratch it. Its exceptional hardness comes from a strong, three-dimensional lattice of covalent bonds between carbon atoms, making it extremely resistant to scratching. Among the listed minerals, topaz has hardness 8, quartz is 7, and corundum is 9. Each of these is softer than diamond, so diamond is the hardest.

On the Mohs scale, hardness means scratch resistance: a harder mineral can scratch one that is softer. Diamond is ranked at 10, the highest level, so nothing in the standard set can scratch it. Its exceptional hardness comes from a strong, three-dimensional lattice of covalent bonds between carbon atoms, making it extremely resistant to scratching. Among the listed minerals, topaz has hardness 8, quartz is 7, and corundum is 9. Each of these is softer than diamond, so diamond is the hardest.

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