Burning a Diamond.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 August 1910, Page 4

Burning a Diamond.

TIIK niiST EXI'KUIMEXT. Tlmt diamonds will not only burn lint will blaze, was proved as long ago as 181-1 by Sir Humphrey Davy and Michael I'araday. The experiment was carried out in Florence, where the two scientists were visiting the great Duke ol' Tuscany, whose burning glass was the medium through which the sun was induced to operate. This burning glass consisted ol' a couple of convex lenses, distant from each other by about ;ijlt. the large lens being .some 18in in diameter, the .smaller about 3in. The diamond rested, on a rod ol platinum, which had a cup-.sliaped receptacle at the top, pierced with holes t oadniit of free circulation of gas. This rod was iixed in the centre of a glass of ~'2 cubical inches capacity, exhausted of aiir, and filled with puro hydrogen.

Intense heat was brought to bear upon the diamond when it was exposed to the sun, the second lens greatly reducing the focus. In the course of three-quarters of an lioui it was necessary to twice cool the globe. Then it was noticed that the diamond: was slowly diminishing and becoming gradually opaque. Suddenly it hmist into flame. The\ removed the stone from the focus, and it hi;::.. ■ away merrily. It glowed brilliantly, with a scarlet light in 'i-iing to purple, and continued L': burn lor about four minutes.

The glass was then cowled ami the diamond again subiuiiLod to th-. nctini of the sun. Again it blazed, but not, for so long a period as at fust,. Twice more this was repeated an:! then the diamond was totally c; nsumed. 't his was the first occasion on wluich, so far as is known, a diamond has been seen to burn.