As a materials science expert with a focus on the properties and applications of various materials, I can provide you with an informed comparison between graphite and diamond.

Graphite and diamond are both allotropes of carbon, meaning they are made of the same element but have different structural arrangements. This difference in structure leads to vastly different properties.

Diamond is renowned for being the hardest natural material known to humans. It has a cubic crystalline structure where each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement. This gives diamond its exceptional hardness, making it an ideal material for cutting, drilling, and other applications where hardness is crucial.

On the other hand, graphite has a hexagonal layered structure, where each carbon atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms in the same plane, and these planes are held together by weaker van der Waals forces. This structure makes graphite soft and slippery, with good electrical and thermal conductivity, making it suitable for use in lubricants, batteries, and as a moderator in nuclear reactors.

When it comes to strength, it depends on the context of the term. If by "stronger" you mean harder, then diamond is the clear winner. However, if you are referring to tensile strength in a way that graphite can be bent without breaking, then graphite might be considered stronger in that specific context. But in terms of **overall structural integrity and resistance to deformation**, diamond is stronger due to its rigid lattice structure.

In summary, while diamond is harder and has a higher resistance to scratching and abrasion, graphite has a different set of properties that make it useful in a variety of applications where hardness is not a primary concern.

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In diamond, each carbon atom forms 4 covalent bonds in a tetrahedral structure. ... The sheets of carbon become bonded by weaker intermolecular forces. It is because of these weak intermolecular forces that the layersof graphite can slide over eachother, making the overall substance a lot weaker than diamond.read more >>