Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-11-01


metals are found in meteors2-Miss NJ
V. H., Plainfield"
To answer your question must try TO
lift the curtain that hides one Of the
greatest OF natures mysteries. No man
has ever yet been able 60 see clearly
what lies behind that curtain or com
pieteiy TO explain II. but the glimpse that
we can get Is OF fascinating interest.
One must approach these things with the
open mind OF a little child. content with
facts alone where reasons cannot be had.
One Of the simple facts that we must
accept 10 begin with Is this: Carbon, one
OF the seventy or eighty primary eie-
ments out OF which all matter Is formed,
occurs, pure. in two entirely different ana
contrasted forms. These are. first, dia-
mond; second. graphite or piumhago (pen-
ell lead. If each of these substances
was compound. OF mixture of different
elements. comprising In both cases car
bon as The principal constituent, there
would be no cause for mystificatlon. But
they are absolutely the same unmixed
thing. although in appearance and In
properties they are totally unlike.
The molecules OF each are the same
they are molecules OF carbon, and moth
else--but, IN one the molecules are 30 ar
ranged that they form transparent. ex-
ceasively hard, solid crystal. endowed
with marvellous powers OF refracting
light. which makes Il tho most dazzling
Of all gems; and. in the other. the same
molecules are 40 arranged that they form
a duh. soft black or gray. substance.
that leaves a dirty streak when rubbed
upon paper
The secret lies within thcm--it IL in the
internal play OF the molecular forces
but what makes those forces act so diff
ferentiy when they have precisely the
same material to work upon7 Burn
diamond and II turns 20 graphite.
Charcoal IL a third form OF carbon, or
dlnarily produced by the charring of
wood. whereby all the other elements
contained in the wood are removed ieav-
ing the carbon in the form OF a soft.
black substance which, In some ways, re-
sembles graphite.
Charcoal and few similar substances
are called amorphous. or "shapeicss'' car
bon, because they are never cryataiilxed,
an diamond always. and graphite some
times Is. Yet charcoal too, has the
royal diamond blood. That blood some
times sits on the throne and sometimes
slaves in the mine, but. desrie the turns
OF chance below. It IL always itself. The
proof OF this statement forms an answer
to your second question.
Yes, charcoal can turn to diamond, and
the things that make Il turn are great
heat combined with great pressure. Here,
In outline. Is the process, as Il has been
performed IN laboratories. especially by
the French chemist, Molssan: Into a
mass OF molten iron a quantity OF pure
charcoal II put Then the LIQUID iron
which dissolves the charcoal very much
as water dlssoives sugar. Is placed In an
electric furnace and heated TO a tempera.
ture OF nearly 5000 degrees Fahrenheit
Immediately II is plunged into cold water
In order to cause a quick cooling.
The result Of the sudden cooling Is the
formation OF a solidified shell on the
surface OF the iron which powerfully
congresses the interior part. when II. In
turn. cools and tries to expand. The re-
suit OF this compression Is TO force the
imprisoned carbon (charcoaD TO crystal
lize into diamond. II the molten iron Il
allowed 20 cool at ordinary pressure the
charcoal only turns 20 graphite. so we
see that the magic wand whose touch
makes diamond OF what would otherwise
be mere dull pencil lead is the wand OF
high pressure.
II Is believed that this is substantially
the way In which nature Itself makes
diamonds. In the great diamond mines
OF South Africa there Is evidence that
the gems we're formed Ia the bowels OF