C3 Structure and bonding Flashcards
What are the three states of matter?
Solid, liquid and gas
What is covalent bonding?
Non-metallic elements joining together by sharing electrons
When are ionic compounds produced?
When metallic elements react with non-metallic elements
Why do ionic compounds have high melting points?
Because it takes a lot of energy to break the many strong ionic bonds
When do ionic compounds conduct electricity?
When molten or in water
Can simple molecules conduct electricity, why/why not?
The do not conduct electricity because they have no overall charge
Does diamond conduct electricity?
No
Why is graphite soft and slippery?
Because there are no covalent bonds between the layers, meaning they can slide over each other
Can graphite conduct electricity, why/why not?
Yes, because of the delocalised electrons that move along its layers
Why is diamond a very hard substance?
Because the carbon atoms have a rigid giant covalent structure
What are some important uses of fullerenes? (3)
Drug delivery into body, lubricants and as catalysts
Why are carbon nanotubes good for making tennis rackets?
Because they have high tensile strength
What is graphene?
A single layer of graphite
What are some useful properties of graphene? (3)
Excellent conductor of electricity, has a low density and incredibly strong for its mass
Why are alloys harder then pure metals?
Because the atoms are different sizes
