---
title: "Graphite — density, melting point and properties"
description: "Graphite has a density of 2,200 kg/m³ (1,700–2,260). Melting point, strength, conductivity, what it is used for, and whether it floats, rusts or is magnetic."
url: https://atoneplace.net/material/graphite/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Graphite

**Density of graphite: 2,200 kg/m³ (1,700–2,260)**

2.20 g/cm³ · 137.3 lb/ft³

Chemically identical to diamond and its exact opposite in behaviour: carbon in flat sheets that slide over one another, which is why it is Mohs 1.5, marks paper, and works as a dry lubricant where oil would burn off. The density spread here covers the difference between the mineral at 2090-2260 kg/m³ and manufactured graphite blocks at 1700-1900, which are porous. It does not melt at atmospheric pressure — it sublimes above 3600 °C — and it is one of the few materials that gets stronger as it gets hotter, up to about 2500 °C.

## Properties

- **Density:** 2,200 kg/m³ (1,700–2,260) — 2.20 g/cm³
- **Tensile strength:** 20–40 MPa
- **Young's modulus:** 10 GPa
- **Thermal conductivity:** 120 W/(m·K)
- **Hardness:** 1.5 Mohs
- **Thermal expansion:** 5 µm/(m·K)
- **Floats in water:** No
- **Magnetic:** No

## What it is used for

- Pencil leads and dry lubricant
- Electrodes for arc furnaces and EDM
- Lithium-ion battery anodes
- Crucibles and casting moulds

## How it compares

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.*

- air: 1.2 kg/m³
- expanded polystyrene foam: 20 kg/m³
- rigid polyurethane foam: 40 kg/m³
- Water — the float line: 1,000 kg/m³
- graphite: 2,200 kg/m³
- tungsten: 19,250 kg/m³
- gold: 19,300 kg/m³
- platinum: 21,450 kg/m³

*Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything below that floats.*

| Material | Density | Relative to water |
| --- | --- | --- |
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| graphite ← | 2,200 kg/m³ | 2.20× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |

## Does it rust?

Graphite contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.

## Is it magnetic?

Graphite is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Common questions

### What is the density of graphite?

2,200 kg/m³ (1,700–2,260), or 2.20 g/cm³.

### Does graphite float?

No. At 2,200 kg/m³ it is denser than water.

### Is graphite magnetic?

Graphite is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.

## Related pages

- [Does graphite float?](https://atoneplace.net/does-it-float/graphite/)
- [Concrete](https://atoneplace.net/material/concrete/)
- [Brick](https://atoneplace.net/material/brick/)
- [Gypsum board (drywall)](https://atoneplace.net/material/gypsum-board/)
- [Tungsten carbide](https://atoneplace.net/material/tungsten-carbide/)
- [Reinforced concrete](https://atoneplace.net/material/reinforced-concrete/)
- [Porcelain](https://atoneplace.net/material/porcelain/)
- [Plaster](https://atoneplace.net/material/plaster/)
- [Silicon carbide](https://atoneplace.net/material/silicon-carbide/)

## Sources

- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place (/about/)