Geology Research Project: Where Did That Diamond Come From
Geology Research Project Page 1
Where did that Diamond come from?
Geology Research Project
Rough Draft
December 4, 2013
Geology
Geology Research Project – Rough Draft Page 2
Where did that Diamond come from?
Diamonds are seen everywhere in stores and they are displayed in necklaces, earrings, pins and rings. They sparkle brilliantly in the right light. More than likely, most people don’t know how that diamond made it to the store. That diamond will be bought and worn by the lucky recipient. They don’t realize that sparkling diamond or “stone” has gone through extreme heat and pressure, as well as survived a violent ride to the earth’s surface. In the quest to learn more about where diamonds come from, researchers must first determine how the diamonds grow. After they conducted laboratory experiments, it was determined that …show more content…
“Diamonds are formed when carbon deposits are exposed to high pressure and high temperatures for prolonged periods of time.” (Diamonds: Chemistry & Structural Properties, 2012) When these high temperatures and high pressures combine with carbon deposits, a crystal begins to grow. It grows in different shapes such as octahedron, macle, dodecahedron or cubic. Usually diamond growth is a symmetrical structure and the natural form is octahedron, which is an object with eight sides. The depth of the growth can range between 60 to 120 miles down, the pressure is approximately 5 gigapascals and the temperature is can be near 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. (Diamonds: Chemistry & Structural Properties, 2012) An interesting fact, diamonds can also form under the oceanic crust, although at much greater depths. They also tend to be exposed to the higher pressures and temperatures allowing the crystals to grow larger. (Diamonds: Chemistry & Structural Properties,
Where did that Diamond come from?
Geology Research Project
Rough Draft
December 4, 2013
Geology
Geology Research Project – Rough Draft Page 2
Where did that Diamond come from?
Diamonds are seen everywhere in stores and they are displayed in necklaces, earrings, pins and rings. They sparkle brilliantly in the right light. More than likely, most people don’t know how that diamond made it to the store. That diamond will be bought and worn by the lucky recipient. They don’t realize that sparkling diamond or “stone” has gone through extreme heat and pressure, as well as survived a violent ride to the earth’s surface. In the quest to learn more about where diamonds come from, researchers must first determine how the diamonds grow. After they conducted laboratory experiments, it was determined that …show more content…
“Diamonds are formed when carbon deposits are exposed to high pressure and high temperatures for prolonged periods of time.” (Diamonds: Chemistry & Structural Properties, 2012) When these high temperatures and high pressures combine with carbon deposits, a crystal begins to grow. It grows in different shapes such as octahedron, macle, dodecahedron or cubic. Usually diamond growth is a symmetrical structure and the natural form is octahedron, which is an object with eight sides. The depth of the growth can range between 60 to 120 miles down, the pressure is approximately 5 gigapascals and the temperature is can be near 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit. (Diamonds: Chemistry & Structural Properties, 2012) An interesting fact, diamonds can also form under the oceanic crust, although at much greater depths. They also tend to be exposed to the higher pressures and temperatures allowing the crystals to grow larger. (Diamonds: Chemistry & Structural Properties,