MCQ Detailed View

A diamond is one of the most precious natural substances found on Earth, widely used as a gemstone in jewelry and for industrial applications. Despite its sparkling beauty and high value, a diamond is composed entirely of just one chemical element – Carbon (C). What makes a diamond unique is not its composition but the special arrangement of carbon atoms in its crystal structure.

In a diamond, each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral structure, forming a three-dimensional network. This arrangement is extremely strong and stable due to covalent bonding, making diamond the hardest known natural material. The tightly packed lattice does not allow electrons to move freely, which is why diamonds are good electrical insulators but excellent thermal conductors.

Diamonds are formed deep within the Earth's mantle under extreme heat and pressure, where carbon atoms crystallize over millions of years. Later, volcanic activity brings them closer to the Earth’s surface, where they can be mined.

Let's analyze the other options:

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  Gold, Silver, Platinum: These are metallic elements, valuable but unrelated to the formation of diamonds. They do not have the same crystal structure or hardness.

  
  


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  None of these: Incorrect, because the correct answer is Carbon.

  
  

Although both diamond and graphite are made of carbon, their physical properties differ greatly due to differences in atomic arrangement. Graphite is soft and slippery, while diamond is incredibly hard and transparent. This makes diamond highly valuable both as an ornament and for industrial cutting, drilling, and grinding tools.Thus, a diamond is composed entirely of pure carbon, arranged in a unique crystalline structure that gives it unmatched brilliance and hardness.