Zirconia, an oxide of zirconium, is often used as an...

Name: Problem 18, Chapter 1: Chemistry: The Central Science in SI Units, Global Edition
Uploaded: 2021-07-04T22:23:17-08:00
Duration: 3 min 58 s
Channel: Zaida Minjares
Description: Zirconia, an oxide of zirconium, is often used as an affordable diamond substitute. Just like diamond, it is a colorless crystal which sparkles under sunlight. Which of the following physical properties do you think would help in differentiating between diamond and Zirconia-melting point, density, or physical state?

Zirconia, an oxide of zirconium, is often used as an affordable diamond substitute. Just like diamond, it is a colorless crystal which sparkles under sunlight. Which of the following physical properties do you think would help in differentiating between diamond and Zirconia-melting point, density, or physical state?

Key Concepts

Physical State

Physical state refers to the form in which a material exists, such as solid, liquid, or gas. Although it is a fundamental property, in cases where two materials share the same physical state—like diamond and zirconia, which are both solids—it does not serve as an effective criterion for distinguishing between them.

Physical Properties

Physical properties are measurable characteristics of materials that include factors such as density, melting point, and physical state. These properties are fundamental in the study of materials science as they allow for the identification, classification, and differentiation of substances based on measurable criteria.

Density

Density, defined as mass per unit volume, is a critical physical property that can vary significantly between materials even if they are similar in appearance. It is particularly useful for differentiating substances like diamond and zirconia, as differences in atomic structure and bonding arrangements result in observable differences in density.

Melting Point

The melting point of a material is the specific temperature at which it transitions from a solid to a liquid state. While it provides important insights into the strength of the bonds between its particles, differences in melting points may not always be the most practical means for differentiating materials that have similar bonding characteristics.

Transcript

00:01 Here we have the cubic zirconia versus a diamond.

00:04 As you can see, these two are very similar.

00:08 In a way, you can't even almost tell them apart.

00:10 They're both colored as crystals, and they both sparkle under light.

00:15 And so sometimes it can be really tough to kind of tell a difference.

00:20 Cubic zirconia is a cheaper alternative to diamond, and you could get something that looks just like a diamond.

00:26 But the properties of the cubic zirconia are different from the diamond.

00:31 But if we wanted to find a good way in which we can find the difference between the two and helping us differentiate between the diamond and the cubic zirconia, we can take a look at three different factors, the melting point, the density, and the physical state.

00:49 And well, we can start with the physical state.

00:51 Sometimes this property could perhaps not be as reliable in terms of helping us.

00:56 Has a differentiate between the two simply because just from the get -go and just looking at these two from a straight on they do look very very similar at times you can look at the stones under natural light a diamond does give off more of a like a white light whereas the zirkoan it gives more of a like a noticeable rainbow of color light so the diamond is in fact a little brighter but it's it's just it's something that it's not necessarily super valuable in terms of helping us differentiate between the two.

01:30 So the physical state, although it can help us differentiate between the two, it can be a little bit difficult to even pinpoint in terms of which is brighter and which one is not.

01:40 So that's that.

01:42 And in terms of like the melting point, for example, well these two do in fact have different melting points...

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