Chemistry BONDING, STRUCTURE AND THE PROPERTIES OF MATTER

GIANT COVALENT STRUCTURES Worksheet 9 – Mark Scheme

Question 1
Complete the passage using the words below to help you
All the atoms within a giant covalent structure are connected to other atoms by strong covalent bonds in a regular
arrangement.
Giant covalent structures have very high melting points because it is very difficult to break the many covalent
bonds between the atoms, this means they are solids at room temperature.
Giant covalent structures are often crystalline such as diamond and silicon dioxide.
A crystal is a material whose constituents are arranged in a highly ordered structure extending in all directions.
Regular spacings between the atoms mean that light can pass through, making polished crystals sparkle!
[crystalline, directions, regular, difficult, giant, atoms, diamond, high, solid, ordered, light, covalent]

Question 2

This is a diagram of the giant covalent structure
of diamond. Using the diagram to help you,
explain why diamond is crystalline, very hard and
has a high melting point and does not conduct
electricity.
Diamond is crystalline because it is a highly ordered structure
extending in all directions.
Each carbon atom makes four strong covalent bonds to other
carbon atoms.
Diamond is hard because the covalent bonds are very strong
and each atom makes four of them.
Diamond has a high melting point because it requires a very
large amount of energy to break all four covalent bonds.
Diamond does not conduct electricity because it does not
contain any charged particles.

Question 3

This is a diagram of the giant covalent structure
of graphite. Using the diagram to help you,
explain why graphite is soft and slippery,
conducts electricity and has a high melting point.
Graphite is soft, because its layers can rub away because
there are only weak intermolecular forces between them
rather than strong covalent bonds it can therefore be used as
a lubricant.
Graphite has a high melting point because the three covalent
bonds between carbon atoms are difficult to break.
The delocalised electron means that graphite can conduct
electricity as it can move through the structure when a
voltage is applied.

1
Professor Bunsen 
 Chemistry BONDING, STRUCTURE AND THE PROPERTIES OF MATTER

GIANT COVALENT STRUCTURES Worksheet 9 – Mark Scheme

Question 4

Explain why this compound will
have similar properties to
diamond. Suggest the identity
of the compound.
This compound is a highly ordered structure with a lattice very similar to the
shape of diamond. Each of the red atoms is making four covalent bonds and
each of the blue atoms is making two covalent bonds.
This means the substance will be hard because covalent bonds are difficult to
break.
The substance will have a high melting point because covalent bonds require a
lot of energy to break.
The substance is silicon dioxide SiO2

Question 5
Suggest uses for each of the substances shown in questions 2, 3 and 4
Diamond – jewellery, cutting tools
Graphite – semi-conductor, lubricant
Silicon dioxide – glass, ceramics, abrasive, linings of furnaces

Question 6 – challenge

Explain why graphite has delocalised electrons between its layers

Graphite is carbon in the form of a layered giant covalent structure where each atom makes three bonds to other
carbon atoms and carbon’s fourth outer electron is delocalised between the hexagonal sheets of carbon atoms.

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Professor Bunsen 