Key Stage 4
Meaning
Graphene is an allotrope of carbon in which the atoms are bonded in a hexagonal arrangement in a single layer.
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| A diagram showing the arrangement of carbon atoms in graphene. |
About Graphene
- Graphene is a giant covalent structure.
- Graphene is a single layer of graphite.
- Graphene is a good electrical conductor because it only uses 3 out of the 4 electrons in the outer shell to bond with other atoms allowing the last electron to move freely around the giant covalent structure.
- Large sheets of graphene are extremely strong which is a very useful property. A layer of graphene as thin as cling film could support the weight of an entire elephant.
References
AQA
- Graphene, page 88, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Chemistry, CGP, AQA
- Graphene, page 90, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA
- Graphene, page 119, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Graphene, page 34, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Graphene, page 51, GCSE Chemistry; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
- Graphene, page 55, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA
- Graphene, pages 167-8, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 1, Hodder, AQA
- Graphene, pages 84-5, 88, 343, GCSE Chemistry; Student Book, Collins, AQA