Learning about Carbon
Carbon is a natural substance and is the 6th element in the Periodic Table. Carbon is a nonmetallic element and is the fourth most abundant element in the universe. Carbon exists in pure or nearly pure form as diamonds or graphite but can also combine with other elements to form molecules.
What does nonmetallic mean? Non metallic means an element not having the character of a metal.
Facts about Carbon!! All carbon atoms, and only carbon atoms, contain six protons and have an atomic number of 6.
Carbon is one of the most useful elements on Earth. Our life depends on carbon. It is in nearly every single cell that makes up our body. This includes our systems, organs, cells etc. When you breathe out you produce carbon dioxide (CO2). This is one form of carbon. Carbon has been used for thousands of years but it was never offically discovered. Years ago, the people of those days knew of the black soot that was left over after a fire. That was carbon.
Carbon is the sixth element in the periodic table. It is a very stable element. Because of its stability, it can be found in many naturally occurring compounds. One of the common forms of carbon is graphite. Graphite is the same substance that is found in lead pencils.
Where else can you find carbon?
Plants
All plants have carbon as their most important element. Without carbon plants would not exist. That means every animal on Earth also needs carbon to survive. You can't eat carbon, it needs to be in plants before humans can eat it.
Diamonds
When you see a diamond it is acatually one big chunk of carbon. After a very long time when carbon is compressed with very high pressue and high temperatures it forms into a crystal and that crystal is called a diamond.
Charcoal
The next time your family goes to a barbecue you'll now know that the main ingredient of the charcoal is carbon. Carbon compounds store lots of energy and are good at holding onto heat.
Graphite
Take a look at your pencil. The black stuff you write with is made of carbon. It is a special type of carbon called graphite.
Products
Next time you're at the petrol station you can know that carbon is the most important part of gasoline. Gasoline is made up of oil and oil is created from the plants which died millions of years ago. You know there is carbon in plants... That means there is carbon in oil and gasoline.
Plastics
Everything that is plastic has carbon in it. We just talked about gasoline. Like gasoline, plastic things are made from oil. That means carbon is also the most important element plastic.
Fast facts about Carbon:
What is Carbon?
Atomic Number: 6 (remenber the atomic number is how many protons are in an atom)
What are some forms of carbon: Carbon can be graphite, soot, coal and diamond.
Symbol: C
Groups: Non Metal, 14
Colour: Black (graphite) Transparent (diamond)
Form: Solid
Electrons: 6
Protons: 6
How hard is carbon? Carbon is measured by strength on a complex scale from 0 to 10. Graphite is ranked as 0.5, Diamond is 10,
What does nonmetallic mean? Non metallic means an element not having the character of a metal.
Facts about Carbon!! All carbon atoms, and only carbon atoms, contain six protons and have an atomic number of 6.
Carbon is one of the most useful elements on Earth. Our life depends on carbon. It is in nearly every single cell that makes up our body. This includes our systems, organs, cells etc. When you breathe out you produce carbon dioxide (CO2). This is one form of carbon. Carbon has been used for thousands of years but it was never offically discovered. Years ago, the people of those days knew of the black soot that was left over after a fire. That was carbon.
Carbon is the sixth element in the periodic table. It is a very stable element. Because of its stability, it can be found in many naturally occurring compounds. One of the common forms of carbon is graphite. Graphite is the same substance that is found in lead pencils.
Where else can you find carbon?
Plants
All plants have carbon as their most important element. Without carbon plants would not exist. That means every animal on Earth also needs carbon to survive. You can't eat carbon, it needs to be in plants before humans can eat it.
Diamonds
When you see a diamond it is acatually one big chunk of carbon. After a very long time when carbon is compressed with very high pressue and high temperatures it forms into a crystal and that crystal is called a diamond.
Charcoal
The next time your family goes to a barbecue you'll now know that the main ingredient of the charcoal is carbon. Carbon compounds store lots of energy and are good at holding onto heat.
Graphite
Take a look at your pencil. The black stuff you write with is made of carbon. It is a special type of carbon called graphite.
Products
Next time you're at the petrol station you can know that carbon is the most important part of gasoline. Gasoline is made up of oil and oil is created from the plants which died millions of years ago. You know there is carbon in plants... That means there is carbon in oil and gasoline.
Plastics
Everything that is plastic has carbon in it. We just talked about gasoline. Like gasoline, plastic things are made from oil. That means carbon is also the most important element plastic.
Fast facts about Carbon:
What is Carbon?
Atomic Number: 6 (remenber the atomic number is how many protons are in an atom)
What are some forms of carbon: Carbon can be graphite, soot, coal and diamond.
Symbol: C
Groups: Non Metal, 14
Colour: Black (graphite) Transparent (diamond)
Form: Solid
Electrons: 6
Protons: 6
How hard is carbon? Carbon is measured by strength on a complex scale from 0 to 10. Graphite is ranked as 0.5, Diamond is 10,