Namrata Das Exams Prep Master
Exams Prep Master
Diamonds are solid, often inorganic, homogenous, naturally occurring substances with an ordered internal atom structure and a defined chemical makeup. Diamonds are created under intense pressure. Within the upper mantle, 150 km down. The diamond structure is a compacted form of pure carbon. Rock from the deep mantle rises as a result of rifting. Pipes made of kimberlite contain diamonds.
NCERT Solutions: Class 12 Chemistry Chapter 7 The p-Block Elements
Key Terms: Transparency, Diamond, Fluorescence, brilliance, rifting, radiation, sensors.
Characteristics of Diamond
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Transparency, luster, light scattering and colour are the four primary optical properties of diamonds. Diamond is absolutely clear and translucent in its pure carbon state. It's nearly hard to find perfection with natural products, either. The hardest substance known to man is a diamond. The only factors that distinguish this unsightly bit of coal from this lovely diamond are pressure and heat.

Diamond
This lovely diamond didn't begin as it does in its finished state. In actuality, uncut diamonds lack brilliance and have a greasy sheen. However, the same stones have a high luster after being cut. The main goal of diamond cutting is to enhance the stone's fire and brightness.
- Luster: A diamond’s shine is described as “adamantine,” which is diamond-like. Because they are flat, a diamond’s surfaces reflect light in an undistorted manner. The diamond has a refractive index of 2.417. Due to its cubic structure, a diamond is isotropic. The tangible fire of cut diamonds exhibits their extreme dispersion of 0.044.
- Colour: Brown, yellow, grey, black, white, blue, orange, and red are just a few of the colours that diamonds can appear in. Structure-related flaws, substitutional impurities, and crystallographic flaws all contribute to coloured diamonds' induced colour. In theory, translucent, colourless diamonds would exist.
- Optical absorption: Some diamonds have an observable absorption spectrum with a thin line in the violet at 415.5 nm, however, this line is typically undetectable until the diamond has been cooled to moderate temperatures.
- Fluorescence: Diamonds exhibit fluorescence, which is when they produce light with various colours and fervor when exposed to long-wave UV radiation (365 nm).
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| Sulphuric Acid | Interhalogen Compounds | Aqua regia |
| Brown Ring Test | Organometallic compounds | Noble gases |
Geometry
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- The crystal lattice of diamond, which is highly symmetric and firmly linked, is made up of the lowest mass element capable of forming a stable covalent bond.
- The importance of geometric crystallography stems from the fact that a crystal's exterior form reveals the internal symmetry characteristics of that structure, which in turn are strongly tied to the solid's physical properties.
- Due to the material's extraordinary qualities and recent advancements in its synthesis, interest in it has skyrocketed for a variety of optical devices, including sensors, sources, and light manipulators.
- Each carbon atom in a diamond is connected to four other carbon atoms through covalent bonds. Because of how strong it is as a result, it has a high melting and boiling point. Diamond is unable to conduct electricity because it is depleted of electrons.
Read More: Transition Metals
Material Properties
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It has been noted that the presence of nitrogen is a major impurity in diamond, as also has the occurrence of boron (< 20 ppm) which is considered as the semiconducting properties of Type IIb diamond. As a chemical sink for various elements, diamond is fairly poor in terms of concentration levels. However, 58 elements have been recognized at the trace impurity level.
Applications of Diamond
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Due to the excellent physical properties of the material, diamonds have been used for a variety of purposes.
- Because it is scratch-resistant, unlike many other stones, it is suitable for daily wear, which may have contributed to its popularity as the favoured diamond in engagement or wedding rings, which are frequently worn every day.
- The most significant gemstone in the jewellery sector is the diamond.
- Although yellow and brown stones are frequently used, the colourless stone is the most popular choice for jewellery.
- Diamond windows are used to cover apertures in lasers, x-ray equipment, and vacuum chambers. They are constructed from thin diamond membranes.
Read more: Inner Transition Metals
Physical Characteristics of Diamond
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Diamonds are primarily yellow or brown in colour and contain carbon, which is a diamond's primary constituent. Pink, purple, violet, or diamonds with intense red or orange tones are rare and exceedingly valuable. Crystals in shades of grey, green, or black are employed in the industry. The Diamond Streak is often referred to as colourless or none. It is a nonmetallic mineral with the highest level of shine. Diamond has a specific gravity between 3.4 and 3.6. Nearly 4000°C is the melting temperature of a diamond. Since the electrons are firmly trapped between the atoms and are not free to travel, it is unable to conduct electricity. Water and chemical solvents are insoluble in diamonds. There isn't any potential attraction between carbon atoms and solvent molecules that might outweigh the pull of the covalently linked carbon atoms.
Read more: Bismuth iii chloride formula
Formation of Diamond
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The Earth's mantle, located about 100 miles below the surface, experiences extreme pressures and temperatures where diamonds can form. Deep-source volcanic eruptions are mostly responsible for bringing diamonds to the Earth's surface. These eruptions start in the mantle and travel without melting to the Earth's surface. Xenoliths are the name given to the blocks that came from the mantle. The tremendous pressure and temperature of the mantle are where diamonds are formed, and they are found there.
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Things to Remember
- Diamonds are a solid, often inorganic, homogenous, naturally occurring substances with an ordered internal atom structure and a defined chemical makeup.
- The diamond has a refractive index of 2.417.
- Nearly 4000°C is the melting temperature of a diamond.
- The main goal of diamond cutting is to enhance the stone's fire and brightness.
- Each carbon atom in a diamond is connected to four other carbon atoms through covalent bonds.
- Transparency, luster, light scattering, and colour are the four primary optical properties of diamonds.
- Carbon is the name given to the diamond by science.
Previous Years’ Questions
- Which structure for XeO3 and XeF4 are consistent with the VSEPR model?
- The noble gas used in atomic reactors is…?
- Number of lone pair (s) in XeOF4 is/are…?
- Xenon hexaflouride reacts with silica to form a xenon compound X…?
- The noble gas that does NOT occur in the atmosphere is… [JEE Main 2019]
- The last element of the p-block in 6th period is represented by the outer most electronic configuration…? [KCET 2020]
- Noble gases are group of elements which exhibit very?
- Noble gases are also known as aerogens because…?
- Maximum number of compounds are formed by…?
- The noble gas forming maximum number of compounds is…? [BHU UET 1980]
- Which one of the following reactions of xenon compounds is not feasible?
- Noble gases are sparingly soluble in water due to…?
- The ease of liquifiaction of noble gases decreases in the order…?
- The lightest gas which is non-inflammable is…?
Sample Questions
Ques. Explain the structure of Diamond. (3 marks)
Ans. An allotrope of carbon is diamond. In a 3-D network, the atoms of diamond form powerful covalent bonds. It is the hardest substance because of the strong connection between carbon atoms. Its structure is tetrahedral. Four sp3 hybrid orbitals are created by the sp3 hybridization of a diamond's carbon atoms. These hybrid orbitals are pointed at the tetrahedron's corner in space. The diamond's unit cell is listed below.
Ques. What are the uses of Diamond? (5 marks)
Ans. The use of diamonds is well known in many different sectors. Diamonds are well-known for their utility as well as their beauty. It is utilized everywhere, from being employed in gas stations and mines to being regarded as a beautiful gem that we wear on ourselves.
- Diamonds in Jewellery: The majority of people are aware that diamonds are used in jewellery. These gemstones have a magnificent glow to them that makes them a popular focal point in many jewellery creations and a significant source of revenue for the economy. When it comes to engagement or wedding gifts, a diamond is frequently the first option.
- Diamonds in Industry: In addition to being used in jewellery, diamonds are a widely used metal in other industries. It conducts heat particularly well because, according to reports, it is the earth's hardest metal.
- Automotive Industry: Diamonds are used in making vehicles as well. Every high-tech car has 1.5 carats of diamonds present in them. The drill bits and various other components are used in the production of cars and it serves as an integral part of the automotive industry.
- Stone Polishing and Cutting: It may be used to chop through tough trees and aid in polishing them because it is the toughest metal that is currently accessible. Additionally, it's a crucial ingredient in the creation of sapphires and rubies.
Ques. Give some details about diamond characteristics. (4 marks)
Ans. Lustre, transparency, colour dispersion, and light are the four aspects of a diamond that matter the most. The diamond is completely transparent and clear in its carbon state. In addition, diamonds are thought to be the hardest natural substance on the planet. The amount of heat and pressure they are created under is the only distinction between coal and diamond. The lowest stable and highly symmetric element is thought to be present in diamonds. Covalent bonds bind each carbon atom in a diamond. As a result, it is stronger and has a high melting and boiling point.
Ques. Give the reasons that make diamonds so hard. (5 marks)
Ans. Diamonds have a rigid molecular structure because their carbon atoms are tightly packed together in a lattice arrangement. By sharing an electron, two atoms form covalent bonds that hold the atoms together strongly. Five carbon atoms make up a tetrahedral unit, with one carbon atom sharing electrons with the other four. The tetrahedral bonding of five carbon atoms results in the formation of an incredibly strong molecule.
Carbon is not particularly hard in its native state. With appropriate pressure, it can be easily crushed. However, when carbons are heated and under tremendous pressure, their structural makeup is significantly altered. It changes from a soft substance to a very hard one.
Ques. How are diamonds formed? (2 marks)
Ans. Natural diamonds that have crystallized over millions of years are generated beneath the Earth's surface. Diamond is formed through the mining process as a result of the earth's composition being brought to the upper mantle by geological events like volcanic eruptions.
Ques. Why does diamond not carry electricity well? (2 marks)
Ans. Each carbon atom in the tight lattice structure of diamond forms a covalent bond with its neighbouring carbon atoms. Because there are no free electrons left after this, it cannot conduct or carry electricity, making it a poor conductor of electricity.
Ques. Exactly how are diamonds valued? (3 marks)
Ans. The 4Cs of a diamond are its cut, colour, clarity, and carat weight. However, additional elements like Shape, Polish, Symmetry, fluorescence, and Certification also affect the pricing. They all contribute to the price at which diamonds are valued, sold, and bought.
Ques. How much heat is required to burn a diamond? (2 marks)
Ans. The melting point and freezing point of a diamond are both 3550 Celsius (6422 Fahrenheit). Diamonds have a boiling point of 4827 Celsius (8720.6 Fahrenheit).
Ques. What brings on a Diamond's Fish-Eye? (2 marks)
Ans. A diamond that has been cut too shallow (less than 51% depth) will have the diamond's girdle reflected around the stone's table, giving it the appearance of a ring or fisheye.
Ques. Why does the touch of a Diamond feel warm? (2 marks)
Ans. Because of their high Thermal Conductivity, diamonds are warm to the touch. Additionally, it is thanks to their exceptional Thermal Conductivity that Diamond Testers are able to establish whether a certain stone is a diamond or not.
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