to make a solution of, as by mixing with a liquid; pass into solution: to dissolve salt in water. to melt; liquefy: to dissolve sugar into syrup. to undo (a tie or bond); break up (a connection, union, etc.). to break up (an assembly or organization); dismiss; disperse.
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness is based on the ability of one natural sample of mineral to scratch another mineral visibly. The samples of matter used by Mohs are all different minerals. Minerals are pure substances found in nature. Rocks are made up of one or more minerals.
The hardness of a material is measured against the scale by finding the hardest material that the given material can scratch, or the softest material that can scratch the given material. Mohs' original scale of mineral hardness is as follows: To give some examples from everyday life, a fingernail has a hardness of 2;