Have you ever thought about crystals or gemstones like rubies and emeralds? They are pretty cool, right? But did you know that some of the largest crystals ever found were discovered in a cave in Mexico, about 1,000 feet underground? That’s super deep!
Our friend Adam asked a great question: “How are diamonds made?” Well, most diamonds aren’t actually made by people; they are found in nature. Diamonds are a type of crystal or mineral, and there are thousands of different minerals on Earth. These minerals often have amazing shapes with lots of flat sides, and they form naturally in rocks.
Some minerals are rarer and more beautiful than others. These are called precious gemstones, and they include rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds. Because diamonds are so rare and beautiful, they are worth a lot of money. Even a small diamond can be very expensive, sometimes selling for as much as $3,000!
Diamonds are usually found in a special type of volcanic rock called kimberlite. But there’s not a lot of kimberlite on Earth, which makes finding diamonds a big challenge. When people find kimberlite, they start digging, and you can often see large holes where they’ve been searching for diamonds.
If diamonds are so hard to find, can we make them instead? This question has puzzled people for a long time. To make diamonds, you need to know what they’re made of. Are they made of glass or plastic? Actually, diamonds are made of carbon, the same stuff that makes up charcoal!
In the late 1700s, French scientists discovered that diamonds and charcoal are both made of carbon. They heated a diamond and found it turned into carbon dioxide gas, just like charcoal does when it burns. But turning charcoal into diamonds isn’t easy. You need a lot of pressure, like the kind found deep inside the Earth.
It wasn’t until the 1950s that we had the technology to create enough pressure to turn charcoal into diamonds. Even today, machines can only make very small diamonds. However, scientists have found a new way to make diamonds that doesn’t need as much pressure. In the future, we might be able to make diamonds more easily, and they might not be so rare anymore!
Thanks for the awesome question, Adam! Remember, there are mysteries all around us, so stay curious and keep asking questions. See you next time!
Crystal Hunt: Go on a crystal hunt in your backyard or a nearby park. Look for rocks and stones that have shiny or sparkly surfaces. Use a magnifying glass to examine them closely. Can you find any that look like they might have crystals inside? Draw a picture of your favorite find and describe what makes it special.
DIY Diamond Experiment: With the help of an adult, try making your own “crystals” using sugar or salt. Dissolve sugar or salt in warm water until no more will dissolve. Pour the solution into a shallow dish and leave it in a sunny spot. Check back each day to see how the crystals grow. How do they compare to real diamonds or gemstones?
Gemstone Storytime: Imagine you found a magical gemstone that could grant one wish. Write a short story about what you would wish for and how it would change your life. Share your story with a friend or family member and ask them what they would wish for if they found a magical gemstone.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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(FaceTime phone ringing) – Hi, it’s Doug. When you think of crystals or gemstones, what comes to mind? Rubies, emeralds, maybe? Well, I like to think of some of the largest crystals in the world, which were discovered fairly recently in a cave in Mexico about 1,000 feet underground.
This week’s question comes from someone named Adam. Let’s give him a call now. (FaceTime phone ringing) – Hi Doug. – Hey Adam. – I have a question for you. How are diamonds made? – That is a great question. Well, it turns out that most diamonds aren’t actually made; they’re something people have to find. Diamonds are just one type of crystal or mineral. Here on Earth, we find many different kinds, with thousands of different minerals.
Usually, they’re found surrounded or embedded in ordinary rock. When we do find these minerals, they often have amazing shapes with lots of flat sides, which is completely natural. However, some minerals are much rarer than others. The rarest and most beautiful minerals are called precious gemstones, which include ruby, sapphire, emerald, and diamond.
Because diamonds are so rare and considered beautiful, they’re worth a lot of money. The bigger and more beautiful the diamond, the more it’s worth. Even a small diamond can sell for as much as $3,000. Diamonds are hard to find, and when they are found, they’re typically located in a type of greenish-brown volcanic rock called kimberlite.
Part of the challenge in finding diamonds is that there isn’t a lot of kimberlite on Earth. When people find kimberlite rock, they start digging and searching. In many places where diamonds have been found, you can see large holes created by the search for more.
But if diamonds are so difficult to find, could we actually make them instead? This question has intrigued many people over the years. If you could figure out how to make diamonds, you’d likely become quite wealthy.
To start, you would need to know what material diamonds are made of. Is it glass? Some kind of hard plastic? Before I continue, take a moment to think about what you believe diamonds are made of.
Ready? Nobody could begin to make a diamond without knowing its composition. In the late 1700s, a group of French scientists conducted an experiment that revealed this. They heated a diamond using a giant magnifying lens and were surprised to find that it turned into carbon dioxide gas, similar to what happens when you heat charcoal.
These scientists realized that diamonds and charcoal are made of the same material: carbon, which comes from the French word for charcoal. So, does that mean if you had charcoal, you could turn it into a diamond? In theory, yes, but attempts to do so for many years were unsuccessful.
It turns out that an incredible amount of pressure is also needed, like that found deep within the Earth. It wasn’t until the 1950s that we had the technology to create the necessary pressure to turn charcoal into diamonds. Even today, the machines that can create such pressure can only produce very small diamonds.
However, scientists have recently discovered a different method of making diamonds that doesn’t require as much pressure. In the future, as this technology improves, diamonds may not be considered rare at all if we can produce them.
That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Adam, for asking it! Now for the next episode, I picked out three questions submitted to me that I’m considering answering. When this video is done, you’ll get to vote on one. You can choose from: “Who invented credit cards?”, “Are aliens real?”, or “What are basketballs made of?”
So submit your vote when the video’s over. I want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious, and see you next week!
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