Diamond (Oxford AQA IGCSE Combined Science Double Award): Revision Note

Properties of Diamond

• Diamond is made from carbon atoms and has a giant covalent structure 

• Each carbon atoms forms four covalent bonds with other carbon atoms, forming a tetrahedron

• Each covalent bond is very strong

What are the properties of diamond? 

• Diamond is very hard because:

  • Each carbon atom is covalently bonded to four other carbon atoms

  • The covalent bonds are very strong 

  • Diamond being hard makes it useful for cutting tool

• Diamond has a high melting point because:

  • It has a giant covalent structure 

  • There are strong covalent bonds between atoms which need lots of energy to break 

The bonding and structure in diamond