Performing Well Under Pressure
Diamonds and Crystalline Structure

Diamond Discussion Worksheet

After watching Clip 2, “Diamond Formation,” answer the following questions:

1. What conditions are essential to the formation of a diamond?	

2.What common and plentiful element are diamonds made of?	

After viewing the 3D graphite and diamond structures:

3.  Describe the crystalline structure of graphite: ____________________________________________________________________________________

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4. Describe the crystalline structure of diamonds: ____________________________________________________________________________________

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5. Why is the diamond structure so strong? ____________________________________________________________________________________

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After watching Clip 3, Diamond Formation:

6. Where are diamonds formed?  Why is this special? 	

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7. What kind of information can diamonds provide for geologists studying this location?_____________

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After watching Clip 4, “Inclusion Conclusions,” answer the following questions:

8.  How do geologists determine the age of a diamond? _______________________________________

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9. How old are diamonds? ______________________________________________________________

10. Beyond the diamonds themselves, what information can inclusions provide to geologists? ____________________________________________________________________________________

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After exploring the “Diamonds: Historical Diamond Reference Section” and the 
“Diamonds at the Paris Natural History Museum” Web sites, answer the following question:

 11. How have diamonds been represented in folk lore, superstitions, and art?  Add any other points of interest you discover about these gems.

	

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