Giant Covalent Structures Flashcards
1
Q
Give two examples of giant covalent structures.
A
Diamond and graphite
2
Q
How many electrons does carbon have in its outer shell?
A
Four
3
Q
How many covalent bonds does carbon form?
A
Four
4
Q
What does a compound need to have to be able to conduct electricity?
A
Free electrons
5
Q
Describe the properties of diamond.
A
- Hard - This is because each carbon makes four strong covalent bonds to each other.
- Does not conduct electricity - There are no free electrons to carry the charge.
- High melting point - Each carbon makes four strong covalent bonds to each other which require a lot of energy to break.
6
Q
Describe the properties of graphite.
A
- High melting point - Each carbon makes three strong covalent bonds to each other.
- Conducts electricity - There is one free electron for each carbon to carry charge through the graphite.
- Soft/Slippery - Forms in layers and there are weak intermolecular forces between them.
7
Q
Describe the properties of fullerenes.
A
- Made of hexagonal rings of carbon atoms
- Form hollow shapes such as balls and tubes
- Most contain 60 atoms
- Some may contain more or less atoms
