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What a great question.
Diamond is carbon compressed into the very regular pattern of a crystal. The highly organized formation of a crystal makes it possible for light to pass through without being scattered.
(It takes intense pressure and ultra-high heat to force carbon into its crystal form, and the energy reflects the orderliness of the resulting crystal.)
From Wikipedia:
"Diamond crystallizes in the cubic system: graphite crystallizes in the hexagonal system."
An analogy that might help: If you are in a place where there is very dense fog, made up of ordinary water, you may have trouble seeing even 2 or 3 feet in front of you. The surfaces of the individual water droplets are scattering light every which-way. But you might be able to see through 30 or 40 feet or more of very clear ocean water during a dive. Water isn't exactly crystal, but the molecules are packed together differently from the chaotic jumble of atoms in a thick fog.
Carbon -- graphite in this comparison -- then is made up of a lattice system through which light cannot pass -- or be reflected from -- as easily as it does through the cubic system of diamond.
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∙ 12y ago
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Is carbon luster or dull?
Shiny
Is carbon shiny?
Diamond is highly shiny, prestigious and hard and is 100% carbon.
Is carbon luster shiny or dull?
The carbon allotrope 'diamond' in its natural un-cut state is dull. however, when a jeweller cuts it , it becomes very shiny; a' girls best friend'. Other allotropes of carbon are graphite - dull, and buckminster fullerene ??? dull or shiny.
Why is a diamond extremely hard and sparkly and graphite is soft gray and dull?
Because the atoms are carbon are arranged differently.
Why are mirrors and metallic surfaces shining but books and doors are not?
because they are dull objectsbecause they are dull objectsBlood comes out of the elevator doors
What is the opposite of shining?
darken
What is the most shining diamond in this world?
The 'most shining' diamond in this world is the one that catches your eye and once captured, you cannot look away from it.
Diamond is which form of carbon?
Diamond is the diamond form of carbon
The shining all work no play makes jack a?
The Shining movie line is "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"
What element is in a diamond?
Diamond is produced from the element carbon.
What is pure carbon?
One pure form of carbon is diamond.
What gemstone is made up of only carbon atoms?
Diamond is composed of the element carbon.
