Which planes in a diamond are most suitable for cleaving?

The most suitable planes for cleaving a diamond are the octahedral planes. This is because diamonds have a crystal structure that allows for more effective cleavage along these planes due to their arrangement of carbon atoms. The octahedral planes are the natural cleavage directions where the atomic bonds are weakest, facilitating a clean break when force is applied.

In contrast, cube planes, prism planes, and pyramid planes do not exhibit the same levels of ease for cleavage. Cube planes may not provide the same clean and predictable break as the octahedral planes, while prism and pyramid planes are not typically associated with cleaving due to their stronger atomic bonding and angle orientation within the crystal structure. Thus, when it comes to the cleaving of diamonds, octahedral planes are the optimal choice due to their unique bonding characteristics and structural properties.