BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

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What is a unique property of graphite compared to other giant covalent structures?

It conducts electricity

Graphite is unique among giant covalent structures because it has the ability to conduct electricity. This property arises from its structure; each carbon atom in graphite is bonded to three other carbon atoms, forming layers of hexagonally arranged atoms. These layers are held together by weak van der Waals forces, allowing them to slide over one another easily.

Crucially, one electron from each carbon atom is delocalized and free to move throughout the structure, which facilitates the conduction of electricity. In contrast, most other giant covalent structures, like diamond, do not have free-moving electrons because all of their valence electrons are involved in strong covalent bonds within a rigid three-dimensional structure, preventing them from conducting electricity.

This ability to conduct electricity distinguishes graphite in applications such as batteries and electrodes, where materials with high electrical conductivity are critical.

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It has very high melting points

It has no strong covalent bonds

It is not a solid

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