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Giant Molecular Structure

The document discusses giant molecular structures and allotropes of carbon. It describes the molecular structures of diamond, graphite, silicon dioxide, and metals. Diamond has a tetrahedral structure with each carbon bonded to four others in a 3D lattice. Graphite has layers of bonded hexagons that slide over each other, making it a lubricant. Silicon dioxide similarly has silicon and oxygen atoms bonded in a rigid structure, forming most of sand. Metals have a lattice of positive ions surrounded by delocalized electrons, giving them properties like conductivity and malleability.

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Musa Imran
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82 views2 pages

Giant Molecular Structure

The document discusses giant molecular structures and allotropes of carbon. It describes the molecular structures of diamond, graphite, silicon dioxide, and metals. Diamond has a tetrahedral structure with each carbon bonded to four others in a 3D lattice. Graphite has layers of bonded hexagons that slide over each other, making it a lubricant. Silicon dioxide similarly has silicon and oxygen atoms bonded in a rigid structure, forming most of sand. Metals have a lattice of positive ions surrounded by delocalized electrons, giving them properties like conductivity and malleability.

Uploaded by

Musa Imran
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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GRADE 8 – CHEMISTRY NOTES

Giant Molecular Structure:


They are also known as macromolecular structures. They contain billions of non-metal
atoms, each joined to adjacent atoms by covalent bonds forming a giant lattice structure
Allotropes of Carbon: What are allotropes?
The term allotrope refers to one or more forms of a chemical element that occur in the same
physical state. Carbon has two common allotropes, diamond and graphite. Diamond and
graphite are both made of carbon only. However, they look very different and have different
physical properties. They are both giant molecular structures.

Diamond: In diamond’s structure, each carbon atom is covalently bonded to four other
carbon atoms by very strong bonds forming a 3D tetrahedral shape.

Physical properties:
 Has a very high melting point because of strong carbon-carbon covalent bonds.
 It is very hard. This is again due to the very strong covalent bonds between the carbon
atoms
 Doesn't conduct electricity. All the electrons are held tightly between the atoms, and
aren't free to move.
 Is insoluble in water and organic solvents.
 It has a density of 3.5g/cm3

Graphite: In the graphite structure, each carbon atom is strongly bonded covalently to three
other carbon atoms forming layers of linked hexagons. Each layer acts as a molecule, the
intermolecular forces between the layers is very weak allowing layers to slide over each
other. This makes graphite a good lubricant.

Physical properties:
 Has a high melting point, similar to that of diamond.
 Has a soft, slippery feel, because of the weak forces between the layers.
 Has a lower density than diamond. This is because of the relatively large amount of space
between the sheets.
 Is insoluble in water and organic solvents.
 Conducts electricity because of the delocalised electrons are free to move throughout the
sheets.

Silicon (IV) oxide/silicon dioxide/silica: In the silicon dioxide structure, Each Si atom is
bonded to four oxygen atoms, and each oxygen atom is bonded to two silicon atoms. It
makes up most of sand.

Physical properties:
 It has a high melting point
 It is hard.
 It doesn't conduct electricity. There aren't any delocalised electrons.
 It is insoluble in water and organic solvents.

METALLIC BONDING
Metallic bond is the electrostatic force of attraction between the layers of positive ions and
the sea of delocalized electrons.
The metallic lattice is the regular arrangement of positive ions surrounded in a sea of
delocalized electrons.

Properties of metals:
 Malleable and ductile because the layers of positive ions are able to slide over each other,
without breaking.
 Conducts electricity because of the delocalized electrons.
 High melting and boiling points because of the strong electrostatic forces of attraction
between the ions and electrons.

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