What Are Covalent Networks?

What term refers to very hard substances, such as diamond, silicon carbide, and quartz, that contain covalent bonds but do not consist of discrete molecules?

covalent networks

Answer:

Covalent networks

Covalent networks are a type of chemical bonding where atoms are held together by covalent bonds to form a continuous network structure. These networks are characterized by very hard substances, such as diamond, silicon carbide, and quartz. Unlike other covalent substances that consist of discrete molecules, covalent networks do not have distinct individual molecules.

The strong covalent bonds in covalent networks make them highly resistant to breaking or deformation, resulting in their exceptional hardness. For example, diamond is one of the hardest substances known due to its covalent network structure.

Covalent networks also have high melting and boiling points because a large amount of energy is required to break the strong covalent bonds holding the network together. This property makes covalent networks suitable for applications requiring high-temperature stability.

In summary, covalent networks refer to substances with a continuous network structure held together by covalent bonds, resulting in extremely hard materials that do not consist of discrete molecules.