Final answer:
Silicon dioxide, SiO2, is a covalent network solid with high melting point, hardness, and poor electrical conductivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Silicon dioxide, SiO2, is classified as a covalent network solid. In a covalent network solid, the atoms are covalently bonded together in a never-ending fashion, creating a giant molecule. Silicon dioxide is an example of a covalent network solid, with each silicon atom bonded to four oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement. These covalent bonds extend throughout the entire crystal structure of silicon dioxide.
Covalent network solids have high melting points and are typically very hard. They are poor conductors of electricity but can conduct heat to varying degrees. Diamond, another example of a covalent network solid, is one of the hardest substances known