Resource: Aging Diamonds?
Media Type:
QuickTime Video
Length: 1m 42s
Size: 4.7 MB
Unlike most other rocks that are formed in Earth's crust, diamonds are formed deep beneath Earth's surface. Their ability to reveal the chemical and mineralogical nature of Earth's mantle makes them a valuable resource for geologists seeking to uncover the many mysteries of Earth's interior. However, the task is challenging due to the diamonds' tight internal bond, which makes the stones difficult to date. In this video segment from Nature, geologist Larry Taylor explains the geological value of diamonds.
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Loading reviews...Teachers' Domain, Aging Diamonds?, published November 18, 2008, retrieved on ,
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/nat08.earth.geol.min.aging/
- Background Essay
- Questions for Discussion
- Standards
Print Background EssayDiamonds are minerals that are valued for their durability, beauty, and rarity. They form deep in the earth under conditions of extreme heat and pressure, and are brought to the surface of the earth by the forces of volcanism and weathering. Generally, diamonds - and the rocks they’re found in - are very old. Studying diamonds, therefore, can help scientists reconstruct the processes that were central to the formation of the earth itself.
The physical properties of a diamond are determined more by the crystal structure of the diamond than by its composition - consider that diamond and graphite, despite their vastly different physical properties, are both composed of pure carbon. Every mineral is characterized a particular type of crystalline structure that is largely responsible for its physical properties.
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See Also:
K-12 Subject:
Earth Components
Earth's History
Lesson Plans Using this Resource:
Source: Nature: "Diamonds"
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Major corporate support for the Nature collection was provided by Canon U.S.A. and SC Johnson. Additional support was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the nation’s public television stations.