Which property measures the resistance of a metal to indentation, scratching, or abrasion?

• A. Corrosion
• B. Hardness
• C. Solubility
• D. Flow

Answer: (B)

Hardness is the property that describes a material’s resistance to localized surface damage, such as indentation, scratching, or wear. It’s measured with tests that push an indenter into the metal or drag a sharp tip across it, and the resulting size or depth of the impression indicates how hard the metal is. Higher hardness means better resistance to leaving permanent marks or wearing away, which is why hardness is often linked to wear resistance. Corrosion is about chemical deterioration, solubility is how well something dissolves, and flow describes how a material deforms under stress. So hardness is the measure of resistance to indentation, scratching, or abrasion.