---
title: "A manufacturer is considering using titanium diboride, \\(\\text{TiB}_2\\), as a protective coating for cutting tools. A student reviews the following properties of the material at \\(25^\\circ\\text{C}\\).  | Property | Observation | |———-|————-| | Hardness | Very high | | Electrical behavior | Low resistance while solid |  A potential difference is applied across an intact solid coating of \\(\\text{TiB}_2\\). Which outcome and bonding description are most consistent with the observations?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119439/"
date_modified: "2026-08-19T12:40:23+00:00"
---

# A manufacturer is considering using titanium diboride, \(\text{TiB}_2\), as a protective coating for cutting tools. A student reviews the following properties of the material at \(25^\circ\text{C}\).

| Property | Observation |
|———-|————-|
| Hardness | Very high |
| Electrical behavior | Low resistance while solid |

A potential difference is applied across an intact solid coating of \(\text{TiB}_2\). Which outcome and bonding description are most consistent with the observations?

A manufacturer is considering using titanium diboride, \(\text{TiB}_2\), as a protective coating for cutting tools. A student reviews the following properties of the material at \(25^\circ\text{C}\).

| Property | Observation |
|----------|-------------|
| Hardness | Very high |
| Electrical behavior | Low resistance while solid |

A potential difference is applied across an intact solid coating of \(\text{TiB}_2\). Which outcome and bonding description are most consistent with the observations?

- **A.** A current flows; the solid is primarily ionic, and the current is carried by ions migrating through the rigid lattice.
- **B.** A current flows; delocalized electrons associated with metallic bonding carry charge, while strong covalent bonding in the extended structure contributes to the high hardness.
- **C.** No current flows; the solid is a covalent-network solid in which all valence electrons are localized in bonds.
- **D.** No current flows; the solid consists of discrete \(\text{TiB}_2\) molecules, and its hardness results from strong bonds within each molecule.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119439/*