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Chemistry & Materials
Diamonds and Pencils Are Made of the Same Thing — Here's Why They're So Different
Fact 1 of 264%
Diamonds and pencil lead are both 100% pure carbon atoms.
Two forms of carbon with vastly different properties.
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Despite their appearances, diamonds and graphite share the exact same chemical DNA. They are both allotropes of carbon, meaning they are built from the same ingredient.
"Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass."
The only thing separating a priceless gem from a common pencil is how those atoms are arranged.
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