Question

Graphite is soft solid lubricant extremely difficult to melt. The reason for this anomalous behaviour is that graphite:

• A. is an allotropic form of carbon
• B. is a non-crystalline substance
• C. has carbon atoms arranged in large plates of rings of strongly bonded carbon, atoms with weak interplate bonds
• D. has molecules of variable molecular masses like polymers

Answer 1

The correct option is C has carbon atoms arranged in large plates of rings of strongly bonded carbon, atoms with weak interplate bonds

Graphite is a soft solid lubricant extremely difficult to melt. The reason for this anomalous behavior is that graphite has carbon atoms arranged in large plates of hexagonal rings of strongly bound carbon atoms with weak interplate bonds.

Graphite has sheet structure in which different layers of graphite are arranged over each other. These layers are held together by weak attractive forces, so they are free to slide over one other. Thus it is soft.