Ok. I know that to be a mineral it must be inorganic (not coming from a living thing).
BUT heres where I'm confused - don't diamonds come from coal which is not a mineral because it came from the remains of plants long ago. SO - how can diamonds be a mineral if they come from something organic??
Can someone explain please?
2007-02-06 06:01:32 · 7 answers · asked by jmwest 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
In chemistry, "organic" means chemical compounds consisting of primarily carbon and hydrogen.
Diamonds are almost pure carbon, so that makes them inorganic. If they are formed from coal, then the hydrogen is cooked off by the high temperature where the diamond is formed.
Living things have a lot of chemistry with carbon-hydrogen molecules, that's why it's called organic chemistry. But they also have some inorganic chemistry.
2007-02-06 06:10:48 · answer #1 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A diamond is a mineral composed of carbon, which is one of the elements on the periodic table. It does not come from coal. Diamonds form deep down inside the earth about 100 miles. Down there the intense pressure and heat change carbon into diamonds.
The softer coals are sedimentary rocks, and some of the harder ones (like anthrocite) are considered metamorphic rocks.
2007-02-06 06:27:07 · answer #2 · answered by Behaviorist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Mineral" just means rocks. The reason diamond is a mineral is because it's a rock made of carbon.
You are confusing yourself with a little "faulty reasoning"; you are made of the food you eat, does that mean if you happen to be a vegetarian then you are a vegetable? LOL!
The term "inorganic" is also just a description of the present state of something, and infers nothing about its past (or its future!)
Hope that helps...
Good luck.
2007-02-06 07:58:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
a mineral is basically a molecule which cannot support life on its own... scientifically mineral means molucule not containing the two life supporting elements.. hydrogen n oxygen.... coal is organic.. has carbon n oxygen n hydrogen n nitrogen n a lot more cause its origin is dead trees... diamond is formed from graphite.. not coal.. it is subjected to pressure n temperature...the transfer involves rearrangment of carbon atoms(graphite also is made up of only carbons)a carbon skeleton which forms diamond.. diamond is pure carbon connected to four other carbons in a whole network.... so diamond is not organic but coal is...
2007-02-06 06:12:33 · answer #4 · answered by Ayush Javeri 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To be classified as a "true" mineral, a substance must be a solid and have a crystal structure. It must also be an inorganic, naturally-occurring, homogeneous substance with a defined chemical composition.
Coal is not organic.
Coal is a sedimentary rock.
2007-02-06 06:06:33 · answer #5 · answered by Michael Dino C 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Diamonds of made of carbon that has been under immense pressure over millions of years.
Organic simply means derived from carbon.
Diamonds are not derived from living things.
2007-02-06 06:08:50 · answer #6 · answered by Skyhawk 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you are correct, coal is organic...but as it compresses it is really made by the earth...and seeing as the earth isnt living, the dimond is inorganic....
2007-02-06 06:36:44 · answer #7 · answered by pinkpup101 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋