Consider the following statements regarding Graphite: It is crystallin...
Recently, China has unveiled plans to restrict exports of graphite — a mineral crucial to the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) — on national security grounds.
- It is an opaque, non-metallic carbon polymorph that is blackish silver in colour and metallic to dull in sheen.
- Since it resembles the metal lead, it is also known colloquially as black lead or plumbago.
- It is formed by the metamorphosis of sediments containing carbonaceous material.
- It is a naturally occurring form of crystalline carbon.
- It is extremely soft, cleaves with very light pressure, and has a very low specific gravity.
- In contrast, it is extremely resistant to heat and nearly inert in contact with almost any other material.
- These extreme properties give it a wide range of uses in metallurgy and manufacturing.
- It is a good conductor of electricity.
- Molecular structure
- It consists of a ring of six carbon atoms closely bonded together hexagonally in widely spaced layers.
- The bonds within the layers are strong but the bonds between the layers are less in number and therefore are weaker.
- Graphite is the stable form of carbon.
- Applications: It is used in pencils, lubricants, crucibles, foundry facings, polishes, arc lamps, batteries, brushes for electric motors, and cores of nuclear reactors.
- It is mined extensively in China, India, Brazil, North Korea, and Canada.
Hence both statements are correct.
Consider the following statements regarding Graphite: It is crystallin...
Statement 1: It is crystalline carbon formed by the sediments containing carbonaceous material.
Statement 2: It is a good conductor of electricity.
Explanation:
Graphite:
- Graphite is a form of carbon that is naturally occurring and abundantly found in nature.
- It is a mineral that is made up of carbon atoms arranged in a crystalline lattice structure.
- Graphite is formed from the sediments that contain carbonaceous material such as dead plants and animals.
- Over millions of years, heat and pressure transform these sediments into graphite.
Crystalline Carbon:
- Crystalline carbon refers to carbon that has a specific arrangement of atoms in a regular, repeating pattern.
- Graphite is an example of crystalline carbon as it has a layered structure with carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice.
- Each carbon atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms in a planar sheet. This arrangement gives graphite its unique properties.
Conductivity of Graphite:
- Graphite is a good conductor of electricity.
- The reason for its conductivity lies in its atomic structure.
- In graphite, each carbon atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms, creating layers of hexagonal rings.
- The fourth valence electron of each carbon atom is not involved in bonding and is free to move within the layers.
- These free electrons can carry an electric current, making graphite a good conductor of electricity.
- This is in contrast to diamond, another form of carbon, where each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms, making it an insulator.
Conclusion:
- Both statements are correct.
- Graphite is indeed a crystalline carbon formed from sediments containing carbonaceous material.
- It also possesses the property of being a good conductor of electricity due to its layered structure and the presence of free electrons.
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