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2020 O Level Chem P1 Q8 — Structure and Bonding / Giant Covalent Structures Solution

Structure and Bonding / Giant Covalent Structures 2020 O Level Pure Chemistry · Paper 1 · Q8

Question

Which two substances have similar three-dimensional arrangements of their atoms?
  1. Adiamond and silicon dioxide
  2. Bgraphite and diamond
  3. Ciodine and graphite
  4. Dsilicon dioxide and iodine
Correct answer: A

Video Solution

Explanation

Answer: A (diamond and silicon dioxide). Diamond is a giant covalent structure in which every carbon atom is covalently bonded to four others, forming a rigid tetrahedral three-dimensional network. Silicon dioxide, SiO₂ (silica), has essentially the same arrangement: each silicon atom is bonded to four oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral 3D lattice, like diamond but with oxygen atoms alternating between the silicon atoms.

Because both are giant covalent solids built on the same tetrahedral framework, they share a similar three-dimensional arrangement of atoms, which is why they have very high melting points.

The other pairs differ. Graphite is layered, made of flat 2D sheets of hexagons, so it is not like diamond's 3D network. Iodine is a simple molecular solid of discrete I₂ molecules, not a giant 3D structure at all. The answer is A.

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