What is the hardest natural substance on Earth? A) Gold B) Iron C) Diamond D) Quartz
VerifiedAnswer: C) Diamond
Explanation:
Diamond is indeed the hardest natural substance found on Earth. This incredible hardness comes from its unique atomic structure, where carbon atoms are arranged in a very strong three-dimensional crystal lattice. Each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement, creating an extremely rigid and durable network.
To measure hardness, scientists use the Mohs hardness scale, which ranks materials from 1 to 10 based on their ability to scratch other materials. Diamond sits at the top of this scale with a perfect rating of 10, making it significantly harder than all other natural substances. This means that diamond can scratch any other natural material, but nothing natural can scratch a diamond.
Let's look at why the other options are incorrect:
• Gold has a Mohs hardness of only 2.5-3, making it quite soft and easily scratched. While gold is valuable and doesn't tarnish, it's actually one of the softer metals.
• Iron has a hardness of about 4-5 on the Mohs scale. While iron is stronger than gold, it's still much softer than diamond and can be scratched by many common materials.
• Quartz has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, making it quite hard but still significantly softer than diamond. Quartz can scratch glass and steel, but diamond can easily scratch quartz.
Diamond's exceptional hardness makes it incredibly useful in various industries. It's used in cutting tools, drill bits, and industrial applications where extreme durability is required. The jewelry industry also values diamonds not just for their beauty, but because their hardness means they can withstand daily wear without getting scratched or damaged easily.
It's worth noting that while diamond is the hardest natural substance, scientists have created some synthetic materials that can be harder than diamond under certain conditions. However, when we're talking about materials that occur naturally in nature, diamond remains unmatched in its hardness properties.
