• 👍Maximum Derek👍
    link
    fedilink
    English
    21 month ago

    Carbon, compressed hard enough it becomes diamond, forms a square crystal lattice that is so crazy stable that it’s very resistant to change (including from burning).

    • @threelonmusketeers
      link
      English
      21 month ago

      Is diamond more resistant to burning than other forms of carbon? I thought even lowly graphite is pretty stable at high temperatures…

      • 👍Maximum Derek👍
        link
        fedilink
        English
        21 month ago

        I don’t know specific temps, but graphite forms a hexagonal lattice that is highly stable on 2 dimensions. The bonds between layers of hexagons are weaker which lets it be brittle in all the ways we love graphite. I’m not sure how this specific geometry changes the affinity to bond to oxygen.