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Diamond Statistics and Information

Here are some interesting facts about the fascinating world of diamonds!

Composition: C (carbon)
Crystallographic Class: Cubic -- hexoctahedral (highest of the symmetries)
Space Group: Fd3m -- a = 3.57 A (cell edge)
Common Forms {indices}: F Octahedron {111}, cube {100}, dodecahedron {110}, rounded variations
Twins: Spinel-law common, yielding the flat triangular "macle"
Hardness: 10 Mohs' scale, 56-115 Knoop hardness number (GPa), 10,000 Brooks identer scale; octahedral face hardest, cube face softest
Cleavage: Excellent parallel to octahedron face -- {111}
Density: 3.51 g/cm3 (or specific gravity = 3.51)
Luster: Adamantine (diamond provides the definition for this kind of luster)
Colors: Colorless, yellow, blue, and many others
Refractive Index: 2.4175 (in the yellow light of a sodium lamp)
Dispersion: Large (0.044), leading to rainbow colors on refraction
Optical Transmission: Transparent over broad spectrum of the electromagnetic spectrum; an excellent material for optical windows
Thermal Conductivity: Superb -- 5-25 Watts/centimeter-degreesC (at 300 K); 4 times greater than copper, an excellent thermal conductor
Electrical Conductivity: 0 to ~ 100 ohm-cm (resistivity at 300 K) -- an insulator

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