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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: sineugene on April 07, 2005, 04:03:05 AM

Title: Surface of diamond
Post by: sineugene on April 07, 2005, 04:03:05 AM

I know that diamond has a giant covalent structure, with its atoms arranged in the shape of tetrahedrons. Each carbon atom forms 4 covalent bond with its neighbour. However, what I would like to know is, how the carbon atoms on the surface of the atom attain stability while they does't have 4 neighbours?

Title: Re:Surface of diamond
Post by: xiankai on April 07, 2005, 06:38:30 AM

the atoms on the surface have 4 neighbours.... just that bonds are pointed down and not in all directions

Title: Re:Surface of diamond
Post by: AWK on April 07, 2005, 06:42:16 AM

Missed valences are filled up with hydrogen or oxygen