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From WinkyPedia, the free encyclopedia that tells you what you already knew
A diamond is a crystal of pure carbon, the hardest natural material known. It is made of exactly the same element as graphite, the soft grey material in pencils; the only difference is how the carbon atoms are arranged.[1] A diamond is therefore a pencil that has been very well organised.
Diamonds also burn. Heated strongly in air, a diamond catches fire and turns into carbon dioxide gas, leaving nothing behind. In 1772 the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier burned diamonds in experiments to show what they were made of. He did not say how he got the funding.
Diamond is the hardest natural material, so a diamond can only be cut or polished using other diamonds or diamond dust. Hardness is not the same as toughness, however, and a sharp blow in the right place can split a diamond. It is the only rock with a reputation for being unbreakable that also comes with instructions.[2]
Diamonds form deep inside the Earth under enormous pressure and heat, and are brought up by volcanic eruptions. They are not as rare as their price suggests; the price is partly a matter of how carefully they are sold.