How do you explain chemically the action of "cutting"?

Question

Ok this is a little awkward, but how do you explain chemically the action of cutting, why does it matter if something is sharp? How do elements interact chemically that make things cut or not, cuttable. Why are diamonds the best for cutting? Is cutting the result of a chemical reaction or does it cause a chemical reaction?

Sorry Im looking to see what happens chemically. How do atoms interact with eachother when you cut something.

Answer 1

I'm not sure if this is chemically, but what is happening in terms of physics is probably three main factors:

1) hardness of the materials
2) size of the materials
3) the force being applied relative to the two materials

A harder material will move more easily through a softer material. As you probably know, this is normally related to particle density, as well as with the molecular structures involved.

A very narrow material will pass more easily through a larger material. For example, if you try to cut a piece of paper across the face of the page with a razor, that is easier than cutting it across the edge of the paper, and this is where sharpness comes in. The more narrow and hard the cutting substance, the easier it will pass through softer and wider materials.

At the smallest level, it does come down to some molecules giving way to others, but I believe that the relative density (hardness) and relative narrowness (sharpness) will usually be the main factors here.

Finally, there is how much force of being applied, but that is obvious. Unless one of the object breaks (and this would still come back to relative density and narrowness), if enough force is applied, then anything can go through anything.

Answer 2

There is no chemical reaction involved in cutting.

Technically you are physically separating the molecules, and the type of bonding does have something to do with it, but really nothing chemically changes when you cut something. Molecules are small, you are not cutting them or atoms.

There are a lot of forces involved in materials, it would be silly to try to explain it here.

Answer 3

diamonds are good for cutting because they're one of the hardest, if not the hardest, substances on the planet. and, no, cutting something is not a chemical reaction, it's physical. an object to cut with doesn't have to be sharp if you apply enough force. that's why blunt 2x4's go through buildings during an f5 tornado.