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carbon is a Group 14 element and is distributed very widely in nature. It is found in abundance in the sun, stars, comets, and atmospheres of most planets.

Carbon is found free in nature in three allotropic forms: amorphous, graphite, and diamond. Graphite is one of the softest known materials while diamond is one of the hardest. Carbon, as microscopic diamonds, is found in some meteorites. Natural diamonds are found in ancient volcanic "pipes" such as found in South Africa. Diamonds are also recovered from the ocean floor off the Cape of Good Hope.

More recently, another form of carbon, buckminsterfullerene, C60, has been discovered. This new form of carbon is the subject of great interest in research laboratories today.

Carbon is present as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and dissolved in all natural waters. It is a component of rocks as carbonates of calcium (limestone), magnesium, and iron. The atmosphere of Mars contains 96 % CO2.

Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are chiefly hydrocarbons. Carbon is unique among the elements in the vast number of variety of compounds it can form. Organic chemistry, a 1/112th subset of inorganic chemistry, is the study of carbon and its compounds. While silicon might take the place of carbon in forming a host of related compounds, it is not possible currently to form stable compounds with very long chains of silicon atoms.

In 1961 the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) adopted the isotope 12C as the basis for atomic weights. Carbon-14, 14C, an isotope with a half-life of 5730 years, is used to date such materials as wood, archeological specimens, etc. Carbon-13, 13C, is particularly useful for isotopic labelling studies since it is not radioactive, but is a spin I = 1/2 nucleus and therefore a good NMR nucleus. carbon is available in nature as graphite and (to a much lesser extent!) as diamond. Artificial graphite is made by the reaction of coke with silica (SiO2).

SiO2 + 3C (2500°C) → "SiC" → Si (g) + C(graphite)

Artificial diamonds are made by the application of heat and pressure (> 125 kBar) in the presence of a catalyst such as iron, chromium or platinum. It seems that the metal melts on the carbon surface, the graphite dissolves in the metal film, and the less soluble diamond precipitates out. The introduction of nitrogen as an impurity gives yellowish diamonds while boron impurities give bluish colours.

A new form of carbon, buckminsterfullerene with formula C60 is formed in the treatment of graphite by lasers and is now commercially available in small quantities

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Is the number of carbon 14 isotopes much greater than the number of carbon 12 isotopesin a normal sample of carbon?

No. The only mass numbers of carbon isotopes that occur naturally are 12 and 13, and the number of atoms with mass number 12 is much greater than the number of atoms with mass number 13 in any carbon from natural sources. Carbon-14 exists at all only in carbon including man-made isotopes.


What is dioxygen carbide?

Dioxygen carbide, also known as carbon suboxide, is a chemical compound with the formula C3O2. It is a rare and highly reactive molecule that can polymerize into different structures at low temperatures. Dioxygen carbide is not commonly encountered in nature or in everyday applications.


What is the balanced equation when carbon react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide?

carbon (s) + 2 oxygen (g) = carbon dioxide (g) the s stands for solid, and g for gas. it is probably not needed. the 2 in front of oxygen is to show that twice the number of oxygen atoms will be used, as there are two oxygen atoms and one carbon atom in a C02 molecule.


All living things contain carbon What happens to the carbon in their bodies when they die?

Most of it ends up as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Most dead bodies are decomposed by various types of microbe, which means they are used for respiration to release energy: carbon compounds + oxygen = carbon dioxide plus water. This is an oversimplification of the complex changes that go on. The carbon dioxide is then absorbed by vegetation and sea algae and turned back into large, carbon based molecules, releasing oxygen. The (very rare) exception is when a large amount of dead forest was buried (such as after the Carboniferous period) and oxygen was excluded, so instead of bacteria eating it, it fossilised into coal. Carbon is also stored in the form of oil when most microscopic sea life died and sank to the bottom, and was buried. Much of this stored carbon has been burned in the last 2 centuries (a very short time) and this, together with deforestation, has shifted the equilibrium of the carbon cycle.


What is the odd one out lithium nitrogen oxygen carbon?

what is the odd one lithium, nitrogen , oxygen , carbon

Related Questions

Is carbon rare or plentiful?

carbon is plentiful


Is carbon dioxide is a rare gas?

No, it is not a rare gas


Is carbon dioxide rare?

no, i have a rare pokemon card that is way rarer


Why is it rare to find a 4 plus ion of carbon?

It is rare to find a 4 plus ion of carbon because of the increasing energy required to ionize carbon. Ionization energy increases with each time.


Is Talc rare?

Talc is a rare form of crystal. Talc is formed from serpentine, amphibole, and olivine. The metamorphism of these minerals with water and carbon dioxide form the rare talc crystal.


Is carbon likely to make covalent bonds or ionic bonds?

Carbon typically forms covalent bonds. It is rare for it to form ionic bonds.


What are the mixture of gases that make the air?

oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, rare gases


What is it called when carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere?

* combustion * respiration * oxidization * Retrixilization (rare)


Were is the gas found for carbon monoxide?

This is formed in high temperature. It is a little bit rare gas.


What is the head of the carbon family?

Carbon is the head of the carbon family known as the "basis of life."


Is carbon a family name or a rare earth element series?

Carbon is not a family name; it is a chemical element that is found in group 14 of the periodic table. It is not part of the rare earth elements series, which are a group of 17 elements in the lanthanide series and actinide series of the periodic table.


Which element has atomic number 6?

There is no element with that atomic mass according to the periodic table, though the isotopes He-6, Be-6, and Li-6 are possible, but extremely rare.