Graphite is a soft solid lubricant extremely difficult to melt.The reason for this anomalous behaviour is that graphite

Options

A. is an allotropic form of carbon
B. is a non-crystalline substance
C. has carbon atoms arranged in large plates of weak interplate bonds
D. has molecules of variable molecular masses like polymers.

Answer

C

Explanation

Graphite has carbon atoms arranged in large plates of rings of strongly bound carbon atom with weak interplate bonds as they held by van der Wall's forces. Thus two adjacent layers can easily slide over each other.Therefore graphite is soft and possesses low density.Also due to `sp^(2)` hybridisation. Therefore C-C bond is shorter and stronger therefore have high melting point.