Similar to diamonds, emeralds and rubies are too made up of a number of properties. Can you find out what they are?
What is a diamond?
Diamond is an alltrope of Carbon. Allotropes are the different structures that an element can exist in.
For example Diamond’s close cousin, Graphite, is also made up of pure carbon, but because its carbon atoms are packed more loosely, it is softer and brittle.
What is crystal structure?
The atomic arrangement of a diamonds is called a crystal structure. This means that the atoms are arranged in a repetitive pattern and are closely packed.
Colour of a diamond
The high density of this arrangement makes diamond a super hard material. A diamond in its purest form is colourless. The presence of colour in a diamond is caused by an impurity.
- Boron turns the diamond blue.
- Nitrogen impurities results in a yellow hue.
- Colours such as brown and pink are caused due to structural defects.
What makes a diamond shine?
The property of a diamond that makes it shiny is its luster. The structural uniformity of the atoms in a diamond allow it to disperse light of all colours, which gives it that twinkling effect.
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