Which one of the following statements is correct about diamond and

Which one of the following statements is correct about diamond and graphite?

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Diamond and graphite have similar physical and chemical properties.

Diamond is hard but graphite is smooth and slippery.

Diamond and graphite are both non-conductors of electricity.

Both diamond and graphite have similar structures.

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This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-2 – 2023

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Diamond and graphite are allotropes of carbon, meaning they are different structural forms of the same element. Their vastly different physical properties stem from their different atomic structures.

In diamond, each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms in a rigid three-dimensional tetrahedral lattice, making it extremely hard and an electrical insulator. In graphite, carbon atoms are arranged in layers of hexagonal rings, with weak van der Waals forces between the layers. This layered structure allows the layers to slide past each other easily, making graphite soft, smooth, and slippery. Graphite also conducts electricity because of delocalized electrons within its layers.

While their physical properties are very different, their chemical properties (being forms of pure carbon) are similar, though reactivity can differ due to structural factors. For example, both burn in oxygen to form carbon dioxide, but diamond is much less reactive than graphite under normal conditions.

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