Graphite is a very hard mineral substance. It is not manufactured, but made in nature. These mineral deposits are often mined for products and for industrial manufacturing purposes. In this case, graphite has been compressed and shaped into graphite bars and blocks. Graphite bars are different from graphite blocks in all the following ways.
Bars Can Be Made to Conduct or Resist Friction and Electrical Charges
Bars are much smaller than blocks. In fact, bars can be taken from blocks of graphite, if the blocks are cut just right. However, a sharp difference between blocks and bars (aside from the obvious size) is that bars can be made to conduct or resist friction or electrical charges. Blocks can’t really be conditioned to do the same because of their massive size.
The Weight of a Block Requires a Machine to Lift
Graphite exists in pencils. As such, you might think that this mineral substance is extremely light, regardless of how much size and density the graphite object has. Graphite is much denser than you might expect. Ergo, a block of graphite that is six cubic feet by six cubic feet weights approximately 1,440 pounds when one cubic foot of graphite weighs 40 pounds! A block of graphite, therefore, requires a machine to lift it, while a bar can be lifted by most humans.
Bars Are Easier to Transport
Without a doubt, bars are easier to transport. They can stack just as easily as blocks. Their mass and weight are easier to manage because the bars are significantly smaller than blocks.
