Question

Graphite is soft while diamond is hard because:

• A. graphite is in powder form
• B. diamond has $s{p}^2$ hybridization but graphite has $s{p}^3$ hybridization
• C. graphite is in planar form while diamond is in tetrahedral form
• D. graphite is covalent and diamond is ionic

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

In diamond each carbon atom is $s{p}^3$ hybridised and is joined to each other by strong covalent bond to form a tetrahedral structure. While in graphite, carbon atoms form planar, hexagonal rings to give it a sheet like structure. Each sheet is joined to each other by weak van der Waal force. Hence, diamond is harder than graphite.