Glass vs. Diamond — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 13, 2023
"Glass" is a transparent or translucent material typically made from silica, while "Diamond" is a precious gemstone made of carbon atoms arranged in a crystal structure.
Difference Between Glass and Diamond
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Glass" is a non-crystalline, often transparent, material, widely used for various purposes like making windows, bottles, and eyewear. It primarily consists of silica (sand) mixed with soda ash and limestone, melted at high temperatures. On the other hand, "Diamond" is a crystalline form of pure carbon, formed under extreme heat and pressure conditions deep within the Earth's mantle. Its exquisite brilliance and hardness make it valuable both for jewelry and industrial applications.
When it comes to properties, "Glass" has a wide range of rigidity and strength, depending on its formulation and processing. Some specialized glasses can be very strong, yet they don't approach the hardness of a diamond. "Diamond", in contrast, is renowned for its hardness; it's the hardest known natural material, making it an excellent abrasive and allowing it to hold a polish exceptionally well.
From a visual perspective, both "Glass" and "Diamond" can be transparent and can refract light, giving them a sparkling appearance. However, the way they bend and interact with light is different. "Diamond" has a high refractive index, giving it its signature brilliance and fire, while "Glass" doesn't exhibit the same level of sparkle.
In terms of value and perception, "Glass" is commonly found and is usually inexpensive, though certain types like lead crystal can be pricier. "Diamond", however, is perceived as a luxury item, symbolizing wealth and status. Its rarity, especially for high-quality stones, combined with demand in jewelry, dictates its high market value.
Comparison Chart
Composition
Primarily silica with various additives
Carbon atoms in a crystal structure
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Hardness
Varies, but generally softer than diamond
Hardest known natural material
Value
Common and typically inexpensive
Precious and can be very expensive
Formation
Melted mixture of silica, soda ash, and limestone
Formed deep within Earth under heat & pressure
Use Cases
Windows, containers, optics
Jewelry, abrasives, cutting tools
Compare with Definitions
Glass
The liquid content held in a glass container.
He ordered a glass of wine.
Diamond
The hardest naturally occurring substance.
Only a diamond can scratch another diamond.
Glass
Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent amorphous solid, that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of the molten form; some glasses such as volcanic glass are naturally occurring.
Diamond
Diamond is a form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. At room temperature and pressure, another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon, but diamond almost never converts to it.
Glass
A hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent, made by fusing sand with soda and lime and cooling rapidly. It is used to make windows, drinking containers, and other articles
The screen is made from glass
A glass door
Diamond
A precious stone consisting of a clear and colourless crystalline form of pure carbon, the hardest naturally occurring substance
A diamond ring
Glass
A drinking container made from glass
A beer glass
Diamond
A figure with four straight sides of equal length forming two opposite acute angles and two opposite obtuse angles; a rhombus
A sweater with a pale-blue diamond pattern
Glass
A lens, or an optical instrument containing a lens or lenses, in particular a monocle or a magnifying lens.
Diamond
An extremely hard, highly refractive crystalline form of carbon that is usually colorless and is used as a gemstone and in abrasives, cutting tools, and other applications.
Glass
A mirror
She couldn't wait to put the dress on and look in the glass
Diamond
A piece of jewelry containing such a gemstone.
Glass
Cover or enclose with glass
The inn has a long gallery, now glassed in
Diamond
A rhombus, particularly when oriented so that one diagonal extends from left to right and the other diagonal extends from top to bottom.
Glass
(especially in hunting) scan (one's surroundings) with binoculars
The first day was spent glassing the rolling hills
Diamond
A red, lozenge-shaped figure on certain playing cards.
Glass
Hit (someone) in the face with a beer glass
He glassed the landlord because he'd been chatting to Jo
Diamond
A playing card with this figure.
Glass
Reflect as if in a mirror
The opposite slopes glassed themselves in the deep dark water
Diamond
Diamonds (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The suit of cards represented by this figure.
Glass
Any of a large class of materials with highly variable mechanical and optical properties that solidify from the molten state without crystallization, are typically made by silicates fusing with boric oxide, aluminum oxide, or phosphorus pentoxide, are generally hard, brittle, and transparent or translucent, and are considered to be supercooled liquids rather than true solids.
Diamond
The infield.
Glass
A drinking vessel.
Diamond
The whole playing field.
Glass
A mirror.
Diamond
Of or relating to a 60th or 75th anniversary.
Glass
A barometer.
Diamond
To adorn with diamonds.
Glass
A window or windowpane.
Diamond
(uncountable) A glimmering glass-like mineral that is an allotrope of carbon in which each atom is surrounded by four others in the form of a tetrahedron. Category:en:Carbon
The saw is coated with diamond.
Glass
The series of transparent plastic sheets that are secured vertically above the boards in many ice rinks.
Diamond
A gemstone made from this mineral.
The dozen loose diamonds sparkled in the light.
Glass
Glasses A pair of lenses mounted in a light frame, used to correct faulty vision or protect the eyes.
Diamond
A ring containing a diamond.
What a beautiful engagement diamond.
Glass
Often glasses A binocular or field glass.
Diamond
A very pale blue color.
Glass
A device, such as a monocle or spyglass, containing a lens or lenses and used as an aid to vision.
Diamond
Something that resembles a diamond.
Glass
The quantity contained by a drinking vessel; a glassful.
Diamond
(geometry) A rhombus, especially when oriented so that its longer axis is vertical.
Glass
Objects made of glass; glassware.
Diamond
(geometry) The polyiamond made up of two triangles.
Glass
Made or consisting of glass.
Diamond
(baseball) The entire field of play used in the game.
Glass
Fitted with panes of glass; glazed.
Diamond
(baseball) The infield of a baseball field.
The teams met on the diamond.
Glass
To enclose or encase with glass.
Diamond
(card games) A card of the diamonds suit.
I have only one diamond in my hand.
Glass
To put into a glass container.
Diamond
A size of type, standardised as 2 point.
Glass
To provide with glass or glass parts.
Diamond
The size of type between brilliant and pearl, standardized as 2-point.
Glass
To make glassy; glaze.
Diamond
Made of, or containing diamond, a diamond or diamonds.
He gave her diamond earrings.
Glass
To see reflected, as in a mirror.
Diamond
Of, relating to, or being a sixtieth anniversary.
Today is their diamond wedding anniversary.
Glass
To reflect.
Diamond
Of, relating to, or being a seventy-fifth anniversary.
Today is their diamond wedding anniversary.
Glass
To scan (a tract of land or forest, for example) with an optical instrument.
Diamond
(slang) First-rate; excellent.
He's a diamond geezer.
Glass
To become glassy.
Diamond
To adorn with or as if with diamonds
Glass
To use an optical instrument, as in looking for game.
Diamond
A precious stone or gem excelling in brilliancy and beautiful play of prismatic colors, and remarkable for extreme hardness.
Glass
An amorphous solid, often transparent substance, usually made by melting silica sand with various additives (for most purposes, a mixture of soda, potash and lime is added).
The tabletop is made of glass.
A popular myth is that window glass is actually an extremely viscous liquid.
Diamond
A geometrical figure, consisting of four equal straight lines, and having two of the interior angles acute and two obtuse; a rhombus; a lozenge.
Glass
Any amorphous solid (one without a regular crystal lattice).
Metal glasses, unlike those based on silica, are electrically conductive, which can be either an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the application.
Diamond
One of a suit of playing cards, stamped with the figure of a diamond.
Glass
(countable) A vessel from which one drinks, especially one made of glass, plastic, or similar translucent or semi-translucent material.
Fill my glass with milk, please.
Diamond
A pointed projection, like a four-sided pyramid, used for ornament in lines or groups.
Glass
(metonymically) The quantity of liquid contained in such a vessel.
There is half a glass of milk in each pound of chocolate we produce.
Diamond
The infield; the square space, 90 feet on a side, having the bases at its angles.
Glass
(uncountable) Glassware.
We collected art glass.
Diamond
The smallest kind of type in English printing, except that called brilliant, which is seldom seen.
Glass
A mirror.
She adjusted her lipstick in the glass.
Diamond
Resembling a diamond; made of, or abounding in, diamonds; as, a diamond chain; a diamond field.
Glass
A magnifying glass or telescope.
Diamond
A transparent piece of diamond that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem
Glass
(sport) A barrier made of solid, transparent material.
Diamond
Very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
Glass
The backboard.
He caught the rebound off the glass.
Diamond
A playing card in the minor suit of diamonds
Glass
(ice hockey) The clear, protective screen surrounding a hockey rink.
He fired the outlet pass off the glass.
Diamond
The area of a baseball field that is enclosed by 3 bases and home plate
Glass
A barometer.
Diamond
The baseball playing field
Glass
Transparent or translucent.
Glass frog;
Glass shrimp;
Glass worm
Diamond
A precious stone of crystallized carbon.
She wore a ring with a large diamond.
Glass
(obsolete) An hourglass.
Diamond
A figure, tile, or pattern in the shape of a diamond.
The floor had a diamond pattern.
Glass
Lenses, considered collectively.
Her new camera was incompatible with her old one, so she needed to buy new glass.
Diamond
A playing card with a diamond symbol.
He drew a ten of diamonds.
Glass
A pane of glass; a window (especially of a coach or similar vehicle).
Diamond
A rhombus or lozenge shape.
The fabric had a diamond print.
Glass
(transitive) To fit with glass; to glaze.
Glass
(transitive) To enclose in glass.
Glass
(transitive) fibreglass To fit, cover, fill, or build, with fibreglass-reinforced resin composite (fiberglass).
Glass
To strike (someone), particularly in the face, with a drinking glass with the intent of causing injury.
Glass
To bombard an area with such intensity (nuclear bomb, fusion bomb, etc) as to melt the landscape into glass.
Glass
(transitive) To view through an optical instrument such as binoculars.
Glass
(transitive) To smooth or polish (leather, etc.), by rubbing it with a glass burnisher.
Glass
To reflect; to mirror.
Glass
(transitive) To make glassy.
Glass
(intransitive) To become glassy.
Glass
A hard, brittle, translucent, and commonly transparent substance, white or colored, having a conchoidal fracture, and made by fusing together sand or silica with lime, potash, soda, or lead oxide. It is used for window panes and mirrors, for articles of table and culinary use, for lenses, and various articles of ornament.
Glass
Any substance having a peculiar glassy appearance, and a conchoidal fracture, and usually produced by fusion.
Glass
Anything made of glass.
She would not liveThe running of one glass.
Glass
A drinking vessel; a tumbler; a goblet; hence, the contents of such a vessel; especially; spirituous liquors; as, he took a glass at dinner.
Glass coaches are [allowed in English parks from which ordinary hacks are excluded], meaning by this term, which is never used in America, hired carriages that do not go on stands.
Glass
To reflect, as in a mirror; to mirror; - used reflexively.
Happy to glass themselves in such a mirror.
Where the Almighty's form glasses itself in tempests.
Glass
To case in glass.
Glass
To cover or furnish with glass; to glaze.
Glass
To smooth or polish anything, as leater, by rubbing it with a glass burnisher.
Glass
A brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
Glass
A glass container for holding liquids while drinking
Glass
The quantity a glass will hold
Glass
A small refracting telescope
Glass
Amphetamine used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant
Glass
A mirror; usually a ladies' dressing mirror
Glass
Glassware collectively;
She collected old glass
Glass
Furnish with glass;
Glass the windows
Glass
Scan (game in the forest) with binoculars
Glass
Enclose with glass;
Glass in a porch
Glass
Put in a glass container
Glass
Become glassy or take on a glass-like appearance;
Her eyes glaze over when she is bored
Glass
A transparent or translucent material made primarily from silica.
The window was made of clear glass.
Glass
A container made of glass used for drinking.
She filled the glass with water.
Glass
Fragile or easily broken.
Their relationship was as delicate as glass.
Glass
A device used for magnifying or observing.
He looked through the glass to see the stars.
Common Curiosities
Is Glass as hard as Diamond?
No, diamond is the hardest known natural substance, much harder than glass.
What element makes up a Diamond?
Diamond is made up of carbon atoms in a crystal structure.
Why do Diamonds sparkle?
Diamonds have a high refractive index, which gives them exceptional brilliance and fire.
Are all Glasses transparent?
No, while many glasses are transparent, they can also be translucent or opaque based on their composition.
How are Diamonds formed?
Diamonds are formed deep within the Earth under extreme heat and pressure.
Can Glass be precious?
While glass is typically common, certain types like lead crystal can be more valuable.
Why are Diamonds used in cutting tools?
Due to their extreme hardness, diamonds are ideal for cutting, grinding, and drilling.
Can Glass be recycled?
Yes, glass is recyclable and can be remelted and reshaped multiple times.
What is the primary composition of Glass?
Glass is mainly composed of silica with various additives.
Can Diamonds be synthetically made?
Yes, there are synthetic diamonds that are created in laboratories.
Are Diamonds always clear?
No, diamonds come in various colors including yellow, blue, green, and even black.
Why is lead added to some Glass types?
Lead is added to make lead crystal glass, which has a high refractive index, making it sparkle like a diamond.
Is Glass organic?
No, glass is an inorganic material.
What gives Diamonds their color?
Diamonds can have colors due to impurities or structural defects in their crystal lattice.
What's the significance of Glass in optics?
Glass is used to make lenses for glasses, cameras, and other optical instruments due to its transparency.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
