Properties of Giant Covalent Structures (Oxford AQA IGCSE Chemistry)
Revision Note
Author
Alexandra BrennanExpertise
Chemistry
Melting & Boiling Points of Giant Covalent Structures
Covalent bonding can be responsible for substances that have many different structures and therefore different physical properties
We have already seen how simple molecules such as H2O and N2 form covalently bonded molecules with a fixed number of atoms
Some covalent structures have a huge number of non-metal atoms bonded to other non-metal atoms via strong covalent bonds
They are called giant structures or macromolecules
Examples include diamond, graphite and silicon dioxide
Diamond and graphite are made from carbon atoms
Silicon dioxide (silica) is made from silicon and oxygen atoms
All giant covalent structures have high melting points because:
There are strong covalent bonds between atoms
These require lots of energy to overcome
Giant covalent structures
Exam Tip
Make sure you can recognise diamond, graphite and silicon dioxide from diagrams!
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