How long does it take for a piece of coal to become a diamond ?

Question

My friend's little boy wants a piece of coal for Christmas because he heard coal turns into diamonds . What he doesn't know is that it takes a mighty long time for it to happen, and I can't give him any accurate information .

Answer 1

It takes way too long. You're better off selling coal on ebay.

Answer 2

Give him a lump of coal for christmas and then in a counple of months swap it for a big crystal the same size....tell him its a diamond.

Answer 3

diamonds are not acually made from caol(man made ones can be mad of just about anything) they are found under the earth in its upper manel where coal is found. they are usually pushed up with the help of volcanic diterbances. if you are wanting to know how long it take man to make one, depending on the high pressure crystals 150 microns across can grow in up to 15 mins

Answer 4

Diamonds are formed by prolonged exposure of carbon bearing materials to high pressure and temperature. On Earth, the formation of diamonds is possible because there are regions deep within the Earth that are at a high enough pressure and temperature that the formation of diamonds is thermodynamically favorable. Under continental crust, diamonds form starting at depths of about 150 kilometers (90 miles), where pressure is roughly 5 gigapascals and the temperature is around 1200 degrees Celsius (2200 degrees Fahrenheit). Diamond formation under oceanic crust takes place at greater depths because of higher temperatures, which require higher pressure for diamond formation. Long periods of exposure to these high pressures and temperatures allow diamond crystals to grow larger.


The slightly misshapen octahedral shape of this rough diamond crystal in matrix is typical of the mineral. Its lustrous faces also indicate that this crystal is from a primary deposit.Through studies of carbon isotope ratios (similar to the methodology used in carbon dating, except with the stable isotopes C-12 and C-13), it has been shown that the carbon found in diamonds comes from both inorganic and organic sources. Some diamonds, known as harzburgitic, are formed from inorganic carbon originally found deep in the Earth's mantle. In contrast, eclogitic diamonds contain organic carbon from organic detritus that has been pushed down from the surface of the Earth's crust through subduction (see plate tectonics) before transforming into diamond. These two different source carbons have measurably different 13C:12C ratios. Diamonds that have come to the Earth's surface are generally very old, ranging from under 1 billion to 3.3 billion years old.

Diamonds occur most often as euhedral or rounded octahedra and twinned octahedra known as macles or maccles. As diamond's crystal structure has a cubic arrangement of the atoms, they have many facets that belong to a cube, octahedron, rhombicosidodecahedron, tetrakis hexahedron or disdyakis dodecahedron. The crystals can have rounded off and unexpressive edges and can be elongated. Sometimes they are found grown together or form double "twinned" crystals grown together at the surfaces of the octahedron. This is all due to the conditions in which they form. Diamonds (especially those with rounded crystal faces) are commonly found coated in nyf, an opaque gum-like skin.[5]

Diamonds can also form in other natural high-pressure, high-temperature events. Very small diamonds, known as microdiamonds or nanodiamonds, have been found in impact craters where meteors strike the Earth and create shock zones of high pressure and temperature where diamond formation can occur. Microdiamonds are now used as one indicator of ancient meteorite impact sites.

Answer 5

It takes hundred of thousands of years under millions of pounds of pressure to turn coal in to diamonds.

Good luck!

Answer 6

well it doesn't happen (ever ) they are formed differently ( the coal is from organic matter - which contains carbon ) the diamond was formed FROM CARBON at much greater heat and pressure ( that's why they are associated with volcano's - they came from DEEP down)

WOULD SOMEBODY STOP THE PASTERS !

old wives tail - popularized by Superman comics

Answer 7

If you shoved it up my old bosses a** you'ed have a diamond in about a week.

You might have to remove the stick first.

Answer 8

I don't know but my friends boyfriend must have one judging by the length of time it is taking him to propose

Answer 9

Millions and millions of years and lots and lots of heat. I mean extreme lava kind of heat.

Answer 10

hahahaha he actually want coal? thats a well trained kid...