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Name: Anne
Status: student
Grade: 6-8
Location: PA
Country: USA
Date: N/A
Question:
What is the strongest material in the world?

Replies:
The answer depends a bit upon what you mean be "strongest". In the usual sense of the term "strongest" is taken to mean "hardest", in which case, diamond is the strongest of natural occurring materials.

Vince Calder

Hi Anne,

The word "Strongest" needs qualifying. If what you mean is strongest in compression, then even ordinary concrete is high on the list. I suspect, however, that you are wondering what is the strongest material when subjected to tension. In that case, carbon nanotubes are probably the strongest materials yet discovered. Although not a practical material for everyday use (yet), this material has been tested to be at least 50 times stronger in tension than steel. Carbon nanotubes are long tubular shaped molecules of carbon, far, far smaller in diameter than a human hair, yet can be as long as several millimeters in length. A concise explanation is available here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_nanotube

Regards,

Bob Wilson.

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