Graphite and graphene

Cards (9)

Graphite is black and opaque but still quite what?
Shiny
How many covalent bonds can each carbon atom form in graphite and what does this create
Three covalent bonds - creates sheets of carbon atoms which are free to slide over each other
How do pencils work in terms of the sheets of carbon atoms
The layers are held together weakly so they are slippery and can be rubbed off on to paper to leave a black mark
What do the slippery layers make graphite ideal for
Lubricating material
Graphite has a high melting point. What does this mean for the covalent bonds?
They need a lot of energy in order to break
Why can graphite conduct electricity
Only three out of each carbon's four outer electrons are used in the bonds meaning that there are lots of delocalised electrons that can move
What is a single sheet of graphite called
Graphene
Graphene's covalent bonds are extremely strong and a sheet of it is so thin. What does this mean for graphene
It is transparent and incredibly light
Why is graphene a better conductor of electricity that graphite
It's delocalised electrons are completely free to move about