[gilliam]

Hi,

I had a really hard question but my tutor and I were able to answer it:

Does the various bond strength of different forms of molecular carbon (graphite vs. diamond) affect its uses? If not, what accounts for the extreme physical differences in the substances?

Actually it turns out that the strengths of the bonds are comparable in graphite vs diamond, but since diamond is a three dimensional crystalline structure it is MUCH stronger than graphite, which is strong in only two dimensions, but layers of it easily slide around each other, which is why we use it in pencils and industrial lubricants!

I never would have gotten this one but my tutor is a genius! I think my mom found him on San Francisco Elite Tutors:

www.sanfranciscoelitetutors.com