In the picture of diamond above, each blue ball represents a carbon atom.
The structure has billions of atoms forming hexagons and extends in all directions.
What is the Structure of a Giant Molecule?
What is the Structure of Diamond and Silicon?
Diamond is a form of the element carbon - see also graphite.
In the picture
of diamond above, each
blue ball
represents a carbon atom.
The structure has billions of atoms forming
hexagons and
extends in
all directions.
All
of the covalent
bonds in diamond are
identical.
It forms a
giant
molecular structure. A crystal of diamond is one
giant molecule!
The covalent
bonds are very strong.
Diamond is the hardest
naturally occurring
material. It does not conduct
electricity.
Silicon (used in microchips for computers)
has the same structure, with each
blue ball
being a silicon atom.
Silicon
dioxide (SiO2) is
sand (also called silica).
SiO2 has a similar structure and also
forms a giant molecule.
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