Mercedes Benzene Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 What is the hardest substance known to man? Is it indeed diamond? Or is there some synthetic substance that's harder?If the latter is true, what makes it so hard? Also, another thing to ponder: What's the most resilient substance known to man? I don't so much mean hardness but the ability to resist damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitack Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Aggregate Diamond Nano-rods are harder, and synthetic. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance. However, their hardness also makes them the most resilient/damage resistant. Diamonds make a good gemstone because they can only be scratched by another diamond and therefore keep their luster longer. Diamond - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaromine Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 And with why they're the hardest: it's because the atoms are in a consistent structure of some form. Right ? (I think that's right...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthepon Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 I think we had a similar discussion sometime earlier. Some carbides (Eg that of tungsten) Tungsten halfnium carbide got some prize for something about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeztar Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 According to the wiki on hardness: The hardest substance known today is aggregated diamond nanorods, with a hardness 1.11 times diamond. Estimates from proposed molecular structure indicate the hardness of beta carbon nitride should also be greater than diamond (but less than ultrahard fullerite). This material has not yet been successfully synthesized. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeztar Posted August 7, 2007 Report Share Posted August 7, 2007 And with why they're the hardest: it's because the atoms are in a consistent structure of some form. Right ? (I think that's right...) Yes, but it would be more accurate to say crystal structure.The hardest diamonds in the world are from the New England area in New South Wales, Australia. These diamonds are generally small, perfect to semiperfect octahedra, and are used to polish other diamonds. Their hardness is considered to be a product of the crystal growth form, which is single stage growth crystal. Most other diamonds show more evidence of multiple growth stages, which produce inclusions, flaws, and defect planes in the crystal lattice all of which affect their hardness.[8]Diamond - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moontanman Posted April 9, 2008 Report Share Posted April 9, 2008 Aggregate Diamond Nano-rods are harder, and synthetic. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance. However, their hardness also makes them the most resilient/damage resistant. Diamonds make a good gemstone because they can only be scratched by another diamond and therefore keep their luster longer. Diamond - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia I would have to disagree with part of your statement, while diamonds are the hardest natural substnace know they are not very resilient. a diamond can be crushed very easily, they break when hit. Most really hard substances are quite brittle when struck. Or were you not refering to that property? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mynah Posted April 13, 2008 Report Share Posted April 13, 2008 Also, another thing to ponder: What's the most resilient substance known to man? I don't so much mean hardness but the ability to resist damage. Many insecticides and a good nuking by a pest control company later, I have to conclude that nothing beats the cockroach. :hihi: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liger Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 i'm not sure about name of substance but i heard that scientist can make a new synthetic substance that harder that diamond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isomotopes Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 Synthetic diamonds are indeed extraordinarily hard and this is why they are used in drills (be it very expensive drills) but the downside is the cost and power needed to produce it is immense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitack Posted May 27, 2008 Report Share Posted May 27, 2008 i'm not sure about name of substance but i heard that scientist can make a new synthetic substance that harder that diamond. could it be Unobtainium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LJP07 Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Doesn't sound like it Nitack... When we say "Hard", do we mean the density of the substance and the amount of atoms fit into a given space, or hard as in ability to resist damage? Or is it a combination of both? Scientifically, it must have a specific meaning to say Diamond is the hardest substance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitack Posted May 28, 2008 Report Share Posted May 28, 2008 Doesn't sound like it Nitack... When we say "Hard", do we mean the density of the substance and the amount of atoms fit into a given space, or hard as in ability to resist damage? Or is it a combination of both? Scientifically, it must have a specific meaning to say Diamond is the hardest substance. Perhaps it is not my fault for putting the requisite laughing smiley after the link... but you totally missed the joke.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koji8123 Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 So if someone were to build themselves a diamond house (for the sake of privacy in the question they painted it) and a nuclear war were to hit in the vicinity of the house, would the house survive? would it absorb the nuclear radiation? and would it stay intact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modest Posted July 2, 2008 Report Share Posted July 2, 2008 So if someone were to build themselves a diamond house (for the sake of privacy in the question they painted it) and a nuclear war were to hit in the vicinity of the house, would the house survive? would it absorb the nuclear radiation? and would it stay intact? It would not stay intact. Diamonds are very brittle - they crack and shatter like glass. It would be difficult to build a structure in normal conditions. If the house were painted then it would absorb the thermal radiation of a nuclear bomb. The ultraviolet, visible, and infrared rays that normally cause severe burns are blocked by any material that is opaque. Ionizing radiation such as gamma rays however would penetrate. Nuclear fallout depends on how sealed to outside air it is. Effects of nuclear explosions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ~modest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koji8123 Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 so obviously in this case a diamond house would be the stupidest thing to build a house for. but wood would shatter just as easily.. so the only thing that can be still intact is a concrete nuclear fallout shelter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moontanman Posted July 3, 2008 Report Share Posted July 3, 2008 so obviously in this case a diamond house would be the stupidest thing to build a house for. but wood would shatter just as easily.. so the only thing that can be still intact is a concrete nuclear fallout shelter? The only things that could protect you from a nuclear blast would be distance and mass. the further away you are the better off you are and the more mass between you and the explosion the better off you are. personally I would trade a concret bunker for not being on the same side of the world in a heart beat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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