Question
9. How many covalent bonds do each carbon in diamond form? 10. Describe the structure and bonding in diamond. 11. Explain why diamond has a high melting point (3 marks) 12. Lubricants allow objects to slide over each other easily. Suggest why graphite can be used as a lubricant. 13. Explain why graphite is: A good electrical conductor. Soft and slippery. You should answer in terms of structure and bonding. (6 marks)
Answer
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(205 Votes)
May
Master · Tutor for 5 years
Answer
9. Each carbon atom in diamond forms four covalently structured bonds. 10. At once, diamond carries a not-so-rigid tetrahedral crystal lattice structure with each atomic constituent tied closely to by means of hybrid sp3 covalent bonds. 11. Diamonds register implausible melting points due to the vigor and energy injection accruable from melting the potency riding the atomic bonding of its carbon atoms. 12. Graphite can be commissioned into a lubricant role, helped in no small portion by its atom-layered structure relenting enough to spurn friction and consequently allowing easy navigability of objects.13. Graphite perform well as a conductor of electricity considering the mobile charge assigning off free electrons from within the molecular setting. This conductorship rightly couples the fundamental causes behind both instances of the clearly grainy batches and minimal friction essential to license its essential slipperiness.
Explanation
## Step1: Each carbon atom in diamond is considered to have a regular tetrahedral coordinate environment—a structural relationship that sees the carbon atoms directly linked to four others in its immediate vicinity. These are what forms covalent bonds. ## Step2: The structure of diamond could be described as a definite crystal lattice. As earlier indicated, each carbon atom creates sturdy covalent bonds with four others, forming a strong, uniform geometrical arrangement. This chemical lattice structure is expansive, accounting for the diamond's distinctive visuals—it's apparent lucidity and brilliance. Coming to its bonding, diamonds have autonomy in sharing of electrons via its tetrahedral configuration.## Step3: Diamond has a high melting point because again, the carbon atoms inside it are helmed by solid covalent bonds—a bond type acknowledged for its strength in holding atomic constituencies together. Essentially, the energy melee required to overcome these rigid bonds is what raises the melting point of the diamond.## Step4: Graphite can be utilized as a lubricant precisely because of its distinct layered architectural structure. These intrinsically planar designed layers have weakly bonded interactions hence allowing easy sliding past one another—making the gradients slippery allowing objects to glide past each other sans much friction.## Step5: On electrical conductivity properties and scoring softness, graphite again shines owing to its atomic structure and peculiar nature of bonding. Free electrons from the délocalization in its layered setup allow electrical charge movements hence it can carry charge much like conventional conductors. Its softness proceeds from the dizzyingly low envisioned forces between its layers, letting them slide past with minimalizable friction.