Graphite is extremely soft and breaks into thin flexible flakes that easily slide over one another, resulting in a greasy feel. Due to this, graphite is a good "dry" lubricant and can be used in applications where wet lubricants (like lubricating oil) cannot.

Why does graphite break easily?

These delocalised electrons can all move along together – making graphite a good electrical conductor. There are weak forces between the layers, which is why they can easily slide over one another.

Is graphite strong or weak?

The forces between the layers in graphite are weak. This means that the layers can slide over each other. This makes graphite slippery, so it is useful as a lubricant . Explain why diamond does not conduct electricity and why graphite does conduct electricity.