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Question
Explain the following:
Why does the element silicon, not form a graphite like structure whereas carbon does.
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Solution
In graphite, carbon is sp2-hybridised and each carbon is linked to three other carbon atoms by forming hexagonal rings. Each carbon is now left with one unhybridised p-orbital which undergoes sideways overlap to form three p-p double bonds. Thus, graphite has two-dimensional sheet like (layered) structure consisting of a number of benzene rings fused together. Silicon, on the other hand, does not form an analogue of carbon because of the following reason:
Due to bigger size and smaller electronegativity of Si than C, it does not undergo sp2-hybridisation and hence it does not form p-p double bonds needed for graphite like structure. Instead, it prefers to undergo only sp3-hybridisation and hence silicon has diamond like threedimensional network
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Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
