Properties of Covalent Substances
Ellen Oakley
What are covalent bonds?
Simple molecular covalent substances & Giant molecular covalent substances.
Diamond - Giant covalent substance
Hydrogen gas - Simple covalent substance
Graphite- Giant covalent substance
Simple Molecular Covalent Substances
Simple covalent substances are also non conductive or poor conductors because they have no free electrons, no charged particles at all able to move around or an overall electric charge.
Giant Molecular Covalent Substances
Diamond - it's very hard because all the atoms are joined with strong covalent bonds. Diamonds make good cutting tools. It also doesn't conduct electricity because there are no free electrons or charged particles to move around/flow.
Graphite - easily rubs away in layers because although the covalent bonds within the layers are very strong, there are only weak forces between the layers. It is soft enough to be used as a lubricant. I t can also conduct electricity because there is one electron from each carbon atom that can move along the layers. This means that graphite can be used to make electrodes.