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Chapter 19: Problem 11

a. Why is diamond so hard and strong? b. Why is graphite so soft and easy to break apart?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Diamond is hard because of its tetrahedral structure where each carbon atom is bonded to four others in a strong covalent network. On the other hand, graphite is soft and breakable due to its layered hexagonal structure with weak inter-layer forces, which allow layers to easily slide over each other.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Diamond Structure and Hardness

Diamonds are hard and strong because they have a tetrahedral structure where each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms in a three-dimensional network. These are strong covalent bonds, which require large amounts of energy to break. This accounts for the hardness of diamonds.
02

Understand Graphite Structure and Softness

Graphite is made up of layers of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal structure. Within each layer, each carbon atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms, with one electron left free. This creates delocalised electrons and allows layers to slide over each other easily, making graphite soft and easy to break apart.
03

Comparative Analysis

The key difference between diamond and graphite is the arrangement and bonding of their carbon atoms. In diamond, each carbon atom is bonded to four others, forming a strong, sturdy network. In graphite, each carbon atom is bonded to three others in a layer, with weak forces between the layers, enabling them to easily slide over one another.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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