Question

How can chemical symbols prove that cubic zirconia is not a diamond?

Answer 1

Answer:

Diamond is pure carbon, C

Zircona is zirconium oxide, $ZrO_{2}$

Explanation:

Chemical symbols are used to distinguish one atom (or molecule) from the other.

Diamond is composed of pure carbon (C) where each C atom is bonded to four other C atoms forming a repeating network of tetrahedrally linked C atoms. Therefore, the chemical symbol of diamond is C.

If the chemical symbol of zircona were also 'C' then it would prove that both are identical. However, zircona is essentially zirconium oxide which has a chemical formula, $ZrO_{2}$. Therefore, the different symbols suggest that the two are not identical.

Answer 2

One compound can be differentiate from other by its composition although both look same. The diamond has the chemical formula of carbon (c) as it is a repeating unit of carbon which has shining features. On the other hand zirconia is zirconium dioxide (Zr$O_{2}$. When it is crystallized it becomes shiny as like diamond. However the look of the two are meanwhile similar the composition is totally different as well the molar mass.