21 Jan 10
Originally posted by sonhouseLiquid diamond? It's a paradox...diamonds are just one big molecule, and if you break up the carbon atoms so they can act like liquid it's not a diamond any more.
http://www.physorg.com/news183044315.html
I don't know about you but this boggles MY mind! Never heard of liquid diamond!
Measuring the melting point of a diamond is very difficult because when it's heated to very high temperatures the diamond changes to graphite.
Since it's the graphite and not the diamond that turns to liquid, scientist are faced with the problem of melting the diamond without it turning to graphite.
Scientists can get around this problem by exposing the diamond to extremely high pressures by blasting it with lasers. The diamond is liquefied at pressures 40 million times greater than that found at Earth's sea level.
Wow...so they account for this factor...what the heck is molten diamond on a molecular level?!
