both diamond & graphite consist of 1 element carbon then y is diamond extremely hard,and graphite soft & dull?

Question

i wqant an answer sbhort and to the point.

Answer 1

They are both made up of carbon. They also have the same basic crystal structures. The difference is on how the crystals are put together.

Graphite is made basically of layers of crystals. These layers slide easily against each other. So it is soft slippery. The structure also aborbs a lot of light. That is why it is dark and dull.

Diamond crystals are arranged in a manner that they are locked in place, with very little or no motion allowed by the arrangment. This arrangement is the stronget in nature. That is why they are extremely hard. The pattern of crystals also allows light to pass through and rget reflected at the same time. That is why well-prepared diamonds are shiny and transparent.

Answer 2

diamond has the carbon atoms perfectly arranged in a single pattern which is very hard to pull the atoms apart
graphite, as someon stated, has the atoms connected in thin layers, which slide easily over one another
Diamonds, although hard, are perfectly arranged so that oxygen in the air can brush against the surface, and combine with the prefectly aligned atoms to make carbon/ oxygen bonds - diamonds EVAPORATE in the air, and must be polished to keep the surface shine!
Water, or H2O, when being cooled, like carbon has different patterns of crystalization and there are commonly about 32 different kinds of ice - some are loosely packed and float, some are tightly packed and dense, and will sink in water. Some scientist stated that there are over 60 different kinds of ice crystals depending on the temperature /pressure, etc.
Carbon atoms, again can be combined in different ways to produce different properties
last example - silicon is just glass, which flows like water - look at a 200 year old sheet of glass in a widow, and the bottom is thick and wavey. Yet, made in a vaccuum in a perfect crystal, it is a computer silicon chip... same substance different arrangement of the atoms..

Answer 3

try breaking 2 sticks separately.

now take 2 sticks and put them together : try to break them both at the same time...


That's why diamond is stronger than graphite: because of the spatial configuration.


Another way to see it is to take an egg (normal chicken egg). Put it in the palm of your hand and press it hard, and try to break it only by pressing it in your hand... You shouldn't be able to do it (the shape helps taking the strain).

Now break the egg a bit so that you see cracks appear on the surface: try pressing it in your hand again... Now clean up the mess you just made...


Diamond has a perfect shape with strong bonds between all neighbouring atoms of carbon. Perfect symetry in the shape.

In graphite, the atoms of carbon are arranged in layers. atoms of the same layer are strongly bonded to each other, but layers aren't linked to each other... to you can take layers off by scratching is a bit...


It's only a matter of shape. (on the level of atomic bonds)

Answer 4

Short and to the point is it has to do with the exact arrangement of the carbon atoms.
Slightly longer: diamond is a rigid lattice held in all directions, graphite is thin sheets loosely held to each other.

Answer 5

both contain carbon atoms.yes.and like all good atoms it has to bond with other carbon atoms to become stable.so in a diamond these carbon atoms are joined to four other carbon atoms hence it is strong.in graphite however only 3 carbon atoms are connected hence it is weaker than diamond. the below site is not my source i just found it on the net.

Answer 6

carbon can bond in 2 ways...in graphite its bonded in the same plane to 4 other carbon atoms, like a sheet of paper with no bonds between sheets...this makes graphite very soft and easy to break.....for diamond....the carbon is bonded tetrahedrally which makes it extremely hard and very strong

Answer 7

Graphite is held together by weak van Der walls in one direction

Answer 8

diamond is under a lot of pressure so the atoms are closer together