Facts about Carbon
Researchers are now investigating the uses of new forms of carbon, known as fullerenes, leading to the developing field of nanotechnology.
Carbon (chemical symbol C; atomic number 6) is a remarkable chemical element that plays a vital role in the structures and processes of the living and nonliving worlds.
Carbon and its compounds play significant roles in both natural and artificial systems.
Some carbon compounds, such as carbon monoxide and cyanides (CN-), are lethally poisonous.
The chemical symbol for carbon is C, and its atomic number (the number of protons in the nucleus of each atom) is 6.
The name carbon comes from the French word charbone, which in turn is derived from the Latin carbo, meaning charcoal.
Each carbon atom can form covalent bonds with other carbon atoms and various other elements—most commonly with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and chlorine.
The carbon atoms in these allotropes have different structural arrangements.
A fullerene is composed of a sheet of carbon atoms linked together in hexagonal and pentagonal rings to take the overall form of a hollow sphere or ellipsoid.
Graphite has a crystalline structure in which the carbon atoms are arranged in layers of flat sheets.
Pure carbon can occur in a variety of forms known as allotropes, such as graphite and diamond.
The most well-known buckyball is Buckminsterfullerene (containing 60 carbon atoms per sphere), named after Richard Buckminster Fuller, the architect who developed the geodesic dome.
We use carbon compounds for fuel and the synthesis of a wide range of materials such as plastics, paints, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
When combined with only hydrogen, carbon forms a variety of hydrocarbons, including methane, propane, butane, benzene, and naphthalene.
By doing so, carbon forms stable compounds that consist of linear and branched chains and ring-shaped molecules.
On Earth, carbon and its compounds are widely dispersed in the air, water, and land.
Sometimes called a buckytube, it is classified as part of the fullerene family of carbon compounds.
When bound to oxygen alone, carbon forms carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and the uncommon carbon suboxide, C3O2.
In 1961, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry adopted the isotope carbon-12 as the basis for atomic weights.
Living organisms play an important role in the carbon cycle, as outlined below.
The carbon budget of a reservoir can provide information, for example, about whether the reservoir is functioning as a source or sink for carbon dioxide.
The paths that carbon follows in the environment are collectively called the carbon cycle.
Carbon that has exceptionally high surface area is known as activated carbon or activated charcoal.
Additional allotropic forms of carbon, classified as fullerenes, were discovered as byproducts of molecular beam experiments in the 1980s.
Carbon has two stable, naturally occurring isotopes: carbon-12 (12C) and carbon-13 (13C), at relative abundances of approximately 98.9 percent and 1.1 percent, respectively.
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and highly poisonous gas formed by incomplete combustion.
Thousands of carbon compounds—including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids—are produced in and used by living systems.
Most compounds of carbon are classified as organic compounds, which form the basis for the field of organic chemistry.
Each sheet consists of a network of hexagonal (six-membered) rings in which each carbon atom is bonded to three other atoms.
A carbon nanotube likewise consists of a sheet of carbon atoms linked in hexagonal and pentagonal rings, but the overall shape is that of a hollow cylinder.
The carbon exchanges between reservoirs are the result of various chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.
Other compounds—particularly the carbonates of metals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron—are major components of rocks, including limestone, dolomite, and marble.
Carbon and its compounds are usually safe materials, but there are some exceptions.
Several non-biological processes are involved in the exchange of carbon between reservoirs.
When attached to both oxygen and hydrogen, carbon forms various types of compounds, including those classified as alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids.
Each carbon atom is capable of forming strong chemical bonds, called covalent bonds, with up to four other atoms.
Carbon compounds constitute the vast majority of all known chemical compounds.
The Global Competitiveness Report for 2005 places Portugal on the 22nd position, ahead of countries like Spain, Ireland, France, Belgium and Hong Kong.
The careless disposal of paints, plastics, and other carbon-containing materials has polluted the environment, and the misuse of drugs has caused needless suffering and pain.
Carbon that lacks an overall crystalline structure is known as amorphous carbon.
Some of the human uses of carbon and its compounds are listed below.
Scientists are aware of nearly 10 million carbon compounds, and new ones are synthesized regularly.
Carbon nanofoam was unexpectedly produced by scientists in Australia in 1997*.
Carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere is essential for plants to perform photosynthesis, and, as a greenhouse gas, it helps retain heat from the Sun and keep our planet warm enough to sustain life.
The overall structure is a three-dimensional network of puckered six-membered rings of carbon atoms.
One naturally occurring radioisotope, carbon-14 (14C), has a half-life of about 5,730 years.
Carbon is known to be part of a huge variety of compounds, including some that occur in the Sun, stars, and planetary atmospheres.
The structures and functions of all known living organisms are vitally dependent on carbon compounds.
Living organisms play an important role in the carbon cycle, as outlined below.
Carbon is most commonly obtained from coal deposits, although it usually must be processed into a form suitable for commercial use. Three naturally occurring allotropes of carbon are known to exist: amorphous, graphite and diamond.
NameCarbonAtomic Number6Atomic Mass12.011 atomic mass unitsNumber of Protons6Number of Neutrons69 more rows
Interesting Facts about Carbon. About 20% of the weight of living organisms is carbon. More compounds are known which contain carbon than don't. Diamond is an excellent abrasive because it is the hardest common material and it also has the highest thermal conductivity.
Origin of name: from the Latin word "carbo" meaning "charcoal" Carbon as charcoal, soot and coal has been used since prehistoric times. Carbon as diamond has also been known since very ancient times.
Carbon is probably the most versatile chemical element of all elements. Carbon derives its name from the Latin word “carbo” meaning coal, and its word origin can be traced to ancient times.Apr 24, 2017
There are three common naturally occurring forms of carbon: graphite, amorphous carbon, and diamond. These are used in many modern products including inks, rubber, steel, pencils, and more! Tens of millions of artificial carbon compounds are useful for petroleum (gasoline) and plastics.