Why diamond is a hardest structure

In summary, diamond is considered the hardest structure due to its strong covalent bonds between carbon atoms. It ranks as the highest level of hardness on the Mohs scale and is significantly harder than any other naturally occurring material. While it is not completely impervious to damage, its strong structure is created by the arrangement of carbon atoms in a tetrahedral lattice. Although there are other materials that are considered harder, diamond is the most commonly known and easily accessible hardest structure.
  • #1
Goodver
102
1
Why diamond lattice structure is a hardest (?) one?

If it is because each atom connected to 4 adjacent, then why simple cubic, where each atom connects to 6 adjacent is not the case?

And why ZnS having the same geometrical structure is not as strong as, say, carbon, or silicon diamond?

Thank you.
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Carbon has a valency of 4, so it prefers to form bonds with four neighbours in a tetrahedral environment.
Zn and S have a valency of only two, though the bonding in ZnS is mostly ionic, which is not as strong as the covalent bonds in C.
 

Related to Why diamond is a hardest structure

1. Why is diamond considered the hardest structure?

Diamond is considered the hardest structure because of its strong covalent bonds between carbon atoms. These bonds are extremely difficult to break, making diamond resistant to scratching, breaking, and wear.

2. How does diamond compare to other materials in terms of hardness?

Diamond is significantly harder than any other naturally occurring material. It ranks 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, meaning it is the highest level of hardness possible.

3. Can anything scratch or damage a diamond?

While diamond is considered the hardest structure, it is not completely impervious to damage. Other diamonds can scratch diamonds, and certain man-made materials such as cubic zirconia can also scratch diamonds.

4. What makes diamond's structure so strong?

Diamond's strong structure is due to the arrangement of carbon atoms in a tetrahedral lattice. Each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms, creating a rigid and tightly packed structure.

5. Is diamond the only hardest structure?

No, there are other materials that are considered harder than diamond, such as wurtzite boron nitride and lonsdaleite. However, these materials are either not naturally occurring or difficult to produce, making diamond the most commonly known hardest structure.

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