What element is graphite made of????

Question

and why does it ease the movement of machines?????

Answer 1

CARBON The carbon atom has 4 bonds to connect with other atoms, but bonds in a huge variety of ways.
In CARBON DIOXIDE a pair of its bonds go to each of two oxygen atoms.
In organic molecules some of those bonds attract hydrogen atoms or clorine, or a hydroxide molecue, etc, etc.

In graphite the carbon atoms bond only to each other in a 6 atom ring - but each ring is attached to other like rings to form a sheet of material (much like a tile floor). Many layers of sheets will lay on top of each other, but are only weakly electrically attached. Therefore the layers easily slide pass each other Set something on the top layer & that top layer will slide as long as there's another carbon layer under it.

Strangely enough, another arrangement of carbon to carbon bonding gives you diamonds. It takes enormous pressure & temperature to forge carbon into the diamond configuration, but once there its tough.

Answer 2

Graphite is Carbon the molecular structure is more round than most and therefore act as tiny ball bearing. The best Graphite is Molybdenum graphite because Moly is a hardening alloy that keeps those balls rounder.

Answer 3

Graphite is a layered structure of pure carbon. The layers are very weakly bound to each other, so they can easily slip along each other. If you put graphite powder in between two surfaces that are rubbing against each other, the graphite will slip along itself and lubricate the system.

Answer 4

graphite is a form (allotrope) of carbon.

the graphite molecule has carbon atoms linked to one another by covalent bonds and these atoms are held in hexagonal layers. the layers are held together by weak intermolecular (Van der Waals) forces. The weakness of these forces allow the layers to slide over one another. this property makes graphite a good lubricant and allows it to ease the movement of machines.

Answer 5

graphite is a soft form of carbon

Answer 6

C