Which type of chemical bonding is primarily responsible for the strength of diamonds compared to the brittleness of graphite?

• A. Diamonds have hydrogen bonds between carbon atoms, while graphite has only single covalent bonds.
• B. Diamonds are composed of carbon atoms joined by van der Waals forces, while graphite has a network of ionic bonds.
• C. Diamonds are held together by ionic bonds, while graphite is held together by metallic bonds.
• D. Diamonds have a three-dimensional network of covalent bonds, while graphite has layers held together by weak van der Waals forces.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the structure of diamond: Diamond consists of carbon atoms each bonded to four other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement, forming a strong three-dimensional network of covalent bonds.
2. Understand the structure of graphite: Graphite consists of layers of carbon atoms arranged in hexagonal sheets, where each carbon atom is bonded to three others by strong covalent bonds within the layers, but the layers themselves are held together by weak van der Waals forces.
3. Recognize that the strength of diamond comes from its extensive network of strong covalent bonds in all three dimensions, which makes it very hard and strong.
4. Recognize that the brittleness and lubricating properties of graphite arise because the layers can slide over each other easily due to the weak van der Waals forces between them, despite strong covalent bonds within each layer.
5. Conclude that the primary difference in bonding responsible for the contrasting properties of diamond and graphite is the three-dimensional covalent bonding in diamond versus the layered structure with weak van der Waals forces between layers in graphite.