Introduction / Context:
The concept of hardness is fundamental in mineralogy and materials science. Hardness helps us understand how resistant a material is to scratching or abrasion. General science questions often ask which natural material is the hardest known on Earth, because this knowledge is widely used in industrial applications such as cutting tools, drilling and polishing. The answer also appears in school-level discussions of the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.
Given Data / Assumptions:
• The question asks for the hardest natural material found on Earth.
• Options include gold, diamond, iron and platinum.
• We focus on naturally occurring substances, not synthetic laboratory materials.
Concept / Approach:
On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, diamond is assigned the highest value of 10, indicating that it can scratch all other natural minerals and is extremely resistant to scratching itself. Gold, iron and platinum are metals with various useful properties, but they are much softer compared with diamond. Diamond's strong covalent bonding in a three-dimensional network structure gives it exceptional hardness, making it the correct answer for such general knowledge questions.
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recall that the Mohs scale ranks minerals from 1 (softest) to 10 (hardest).
2. Talc is at the soft end with hardness 1, while diamond is at the top with hardness 10.
3. Gold is a relatively soft metal used in jewellery; it can be scratched easily.
4. Iron and platinum are harder than gold but still much less hard than diamond.
5. Diamond's ability to scratch almost all other natural materials confirms its position as the hardest natural substance.
6. Therefore, among the given options, diamond is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Standard science textbooks, encyclopedias and industrial references repeatedly state that diamond is the hardest natural material known. Although some synthetic materials and special composites can approach or exceed its hardness in specific tests, in the context of natural substances on Earth, diamond remains the benchmark. This widely accepted fact is used in designing cutting and drilling equipment, such as diamond-tipped tools and drill bits.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, gold, is valued for its malleability and ductility, which actually mean it is soft and easily shaped. Option C, iron, is used for structural strength but is nowhere near diamond in hardness and can be scratched by several other materials. Option D, platinum, is a dense, valuable metal with good corrosion resistance but is also softer than diamond. None of these metals can match diamond's resistance to scratching, so they cannot be the hardest natural material.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse hardness with other properties such as strength, density or value. A material can be strong or dense without being the hardest. Another pitfall is thinking that precious metals like gold or platinum must be hardest because they are expensive. It is important to focus on the scientific property of hardness, where diamond clearly stands out among natural materials.
Final Answer:
The hardest natural material available on Earth is
diamond.
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