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Topic: Surface of diamond  (Read 3729 times)

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sineugene

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Surface of diamond
« 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?

Offline xiankai

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Re:Surface of diamond
« Reply #1 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
one learns best by teaching

Offline AWK

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Re:Surface of diamond
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2005, 06:42:16 AM »
Missed valences are filled up with hydrogen or oxygen
AWK

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