Which one of the diamond and graphite is a good conductor of electricity?
Which one of the diamond and graphite is a good conductor of electricity?
Step 1:
Graphite and diamond are the two main allotropes of carbon.
Graphite is soft in nature but diamond is hard in nature.
Step 2:
Graphite is an allotrope of carbon having a hexagonal closed structure.
In a graphite molecule, each carbon atom is linked to only three carbon atoms by covalent bonds which means that the last valence electron of each carbon atom is free.
So, the presence of free electrons conducts electricity in graphite crystals.
Step 3:
Diamond is a non-conductor of electricity because each carbon atom is connected to the other four carbon atoms by a single covalent bond in a tetrahedral arrangement.
In the diamond molecule, the valency of carbon atoms is completed. So, no free electrons are present in the diamond molecules.
Thus it is a non-conductor of electricity.
Step 1:
Graphite and diamond are the two main allotropes of carbon.
Graphite is soft in nature but diamond is hard in nature.
Step 2:
Graphite is an allotrope of carbon having a hexagonal closed structure.
In a graphite molecule, each carbon atom is linked to only three carbon atoms by covalent bonds which means that the last valence electron of each carbon atom is free.
So, the presence of free electrons conducts electricity in graphite crystals.
Step 3:
Diamond is a non-conductor of electricity because each carbon atom is connected to the other four carbon atoms by a single covalent bond in a tetrahedral arrangement.
In the diamond molecule, the valency of carbon atoms is completed. So, no free electrons are present in the diamond molecules.
Thus it is a non-conductor of electricity.
