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Abstract
Diamond is a prototype mechanical material. Its hardness is greater than that of any other material. Its shear stiffness is greater than its bulk modulus, and the latter is greater than that of any other material. Its surface energy is greater than that of any other cubic crystal. The purpose of this manuscript is to show that these outstanding properties can be derived from simple models based on Heisenberg's matrix mechanics. Numerical solutions of Schrödinger's equation can be avoided, thereby clarifying the underlying physics.