DIAMOND
DIAMOND What is diamond? Diamond is the purest form of natural carbon. It occurs as small crystals embedded in rocks. These are supposed to have been formed by the crystallization of carbon under extreme pressure and temperature in the interior of the earth. Nowadays, synthetic industrial diamonds are being manufactured by subjecting graphite to very high temperatures and pressures. Carbon atoms in diamond have tetrahedral structure. Each atom of carbon is surrounded by four other atoms that together forms the tetrahedral structure, as shown in the figure 10.1. Physical Properties of Diamond Diamond is the purest form of carbon. It is the densest of all allotropes of carbon. Diamond’s tetrahedral structure, makes it the hardest naturally occurring substance. It is brittle and transparent. Pure diamond is colourless. Diamond has very high refractive index. When properly cut and polished, it allows the light to undergo total internal reflection that makes… Read More »DIAMOND