How Strong Are Diamonds?

History

• Diamonds are at least 900 million years old, and many are more then 3.2 billion years old. According to the University of California, Berkley, they are formed within the Earth, from 100 to 200 km deep, where incredible heat and pressure is applied to carbon over eons. Volcanic magma then carries the diamonds to the surface.

Hardness

• Diamonds are the world's hardiest natural substance. In diamonds, each carbon atom bonds to four adjacent carbon atoms, forming a three-sided pyramid. The bond is the same strength in each direction, so there is no give in any particular direction, says Emporia State University. They have a hardness of 10 --- the highest --- on the Mohs Hardness Scale.

Weakness

• Despite a diamond's incredible hardness, it can also be fractured or shattered. There are angles of weakness along which a diamond can be split. Because the crystal has few chemical bonds, this is how a diamond is able to be so hard and yet able to be crafted, says the American Museum of Natural History.