Difference between diamond and graphite ?  (four marks)

Dear Student,

 
Diamond and graphite can be differentiated from each other in the following manner.
 
Diamond
Graphite
It is the hardest mineral known.
It is one of the softest mineral
Carbon bonded to four different carbon atoms forming tetrahedron.
 
Each carbon atom is joined to three other carbon atoms by strong covalent bonds to form flat hexagonal rings.
Tetrahedrons combine to form 3-D structure.
 
Has 2-D layer-like hexagonal structure.
 
Does not conduct electricity
 
Good conductor of electricity
 
 
 
Regards

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In mineralogy, diamond (from the ancient Greek αδάμας – adámas "unbreakable") is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions. Diamond is renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities, most of which originate from the strong covalent bonding between its atoms. In particular, diamond has the highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material. Those properties determine the major industrial application of diamond in cutting and polishing tools.
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Greek γράφειν (graphein): "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead (not to be confused with the metallic element lead). Unlike diamond (another carbon allotrope), graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal. Thus, e.g., it is useful in arc lamp electrodes. Graphite is the most stable form of carbon under standard conditions. Therefore, it is used in thermochemistry as the standard state for defining the heat of formation of carbon compounds. Graphite may be considered the highest grade of coal, just above anthracite and alternatively called meta-anthracite, although it is not normally used as fuel because it is hard to ignite 

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DIAMOND

GRAPHITE

 

It is hardest substance known and its density is 3.5g/ml.

 

Its crystals are octahedral, colourless and transparent.

 

In diamond, each carbon atom is covalently bonded to four other carbon atoms along four corners of regular tetrahedron. This pattern extends in three dimensions. Diamond is hard due to strong covalent bonds present in it.

 

Diamond is non-conductor of electricity.

 

The standard heat of formation {∆Hf⁰} of diamond is 29 kJ mol⁻1.

 

 

Graphite is soft and slippery with density of 2.3g/ml.

 

It is black coloured, opaque and has hexagonal crystals.

 

In graphite, carbon atoms are bonded together in flat layers by strong covalent bonds in a regular  hexagon . These layers are held together by much weaker van der Waals” forces, therefore the crystals of graphite are soft and slippery.

 

Graphite is conductor of electricity.

 

It is thermodynamically most stable. Its ∆Hf⁰ = 0

 

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diamond has the highest refractive index and graphite does notdiamond doesis the hardest naturally occuring substance whereas grphite can slide over each other

hope this will help you

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