Carbon is not always found as diamonds. Another form is graphite, the form of carbon used in pencil lead. They form in hexagons, which are arranged in giant layers.There are no covalent bonds in the layers only weak intermolecular forces, therefore, the layers can slide over one another.
Carbon atoms form have four electrons in their outer shell available for bonding, this leaves spare one on each carbon atom in graphite.
These mobile (free) electrons can move freely along the layers of carbon atoms. These are called delocalised electrons.
Thses delocalised allow graphite to conduct electricity. The electrons will drift away from the negative terminal of battery and towards its positive terminal when it is put into a electrical circuit.
Graphite is also a great conductor of electricity. As more energy is transferred to the delocalised electrons, they move around faster and rapidly transfer energy along the layers in graphite.
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