______ is the hardest substance.

Question

Question

This question was previously asked in

NPCIL Stipendiary Trainee (Category-II) Official Paper (Held On: 11 Jun 2019)

Answer 1

The correct answer is Diamond.

Key Points

Diamond is the hardest known natural material on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, rated at a hardness of 10.
Composed of carbon atoms arranged in a crystal lattice structure, diamonds are formed under high-pressure, high-temperature conditions in the Earth's mantle.
Due to its extreme hardness, diamond is used in industrial applications such as cutting, grinding, and drilling, particularly for materials that are difficult to work with.
Besides its industrial uses, diamond is highly valued as a gemstone in jewelry owing to its brilliance and ability to reflect light.

Additional Information

Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
- A scale that ranks minerals based on their ability to scratch another mineral. It ranges from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond).
- Developed by Friedrich Mohs, a German geologist and mineralogist, in 1812.
Carbon Allotropes
- Diamonds and graphite are both allotropes of carbon, meaning they are different structural forms of the same element.
- Graphite, unlike diamond, is soft and used as a lubricant and in pencils.
Synthetic Diamonds
- Also known as lab-grown diamonds, these are created using high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods.
- They have the same physical and chemical properties as natural diamonds.
Diamond Applications
- Beyond jewelry, diamonds are crucial in scientific equipment such as high-performance bearings and heat sinks.
- They are also used in medical instruments for surgeries and in electronics for their excellent thermal conductivity.