Carbon
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carbon is a very important chemical element. All life on Earth is made from carbon. Carbon has atomic mass 12 and atomic number 6.
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[edit] Why it is important
Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen together form most life on earth (see Organic chemistry). Carbon forms a very large number of organic compounds, because carbon can form strong bonds with itself and with other elements. Also, each carbon atom can form 4 single covalent bonds. Many carbon atoms linked together with hydrogen form plastic.
[edit] History
The name of carbon is from Latin carbo, meaning charcoal.
[edit] Types of carbon
Carbon in nature is found in three forms: diamond, graphite, and fullerenes, called allotropes. Graphite, with clay, is in pencils. It is very soft. The carbons make rings. The rings are on top of each other. They slide very easily. Diamonds are very hard. They are the hardest natural mineral. Fullerenes are a "soccer ball" shape of carbon. They are mostly of interest to science. There are 10 million known carbon compounds.
[edit] Where it is
Carbon is everywhere. It is important to the human body. It was first made in old stars. Graphite is in many areas. Diamonds are rare and are found in Africa.
Carbon in soft iron makes hard steel.
carbon is non-metallic
and a chemical element
[edit] See also
It is also in some meteorites.
