File:Element 6.webm Ikhaboni (from Latin: carbo "coal") yikhemikhali yesikhombisa.Akusiyona indimbi -okwenza ama-electron amane atholakale ukwakha ama-covalent bonds. Iqembu le-14 letafula lezikhathi ezithile. I-Carbon yakha kuphela amaphesenti ayi-0.025 woqweqwe lomhlaba. Ama-isotopu amathathu avela ngokwemvelo, i-12C ne-13C izinzile, kuyilapho i-14C iyi-radionuclide, ibola ngempilo yengxenye yeminyaka engaba ngu-5 730. ingenye yezinto ezimbalwa ezaziwa kusukela endulo. Ikhabhoni ingakha amaketanga amade kakhulu wokuxhuma amabhondi e-carbon-carbon, impahla ebizwa ngokuthi yi-catenation. Ama-Carbon-carbon bond aqinile futhi azinzile. Ngokudliwa komhlaba, i-carbon yakha inqwaba yamakhemikhali. Isibalo samakhemikhali ahlukile sikhombisa ukuthi okuningi kuqukethe ikhabhoni kunalokho okungenakho. [81] Isimangalo esifanayo singenziwa nge-hydrogen ngoba iningi lama-organic compounds aqukethe i-hydrogen ngamakhemikhali ahlanganiswe nekhabhoni noma enye into ejwayelekile efana ne-oxygen noma i-nitrogen. Uhlobo olulula kakhulu lwe-molecule ephilayo yi-hydrocarbon — umndeni omkhulu wama-molecule ephilayo akhiwe ngama-athomu e-hydrogen ahlanganiswe nochungechunge lwama-athomu esikhutha. Umgogodla we-hydrocarbon ungashintshwa ngamanye ama-athomu, aziwa ngokuthi ama-heteroatom. Ama-heteroatom avamile avela ezinhlanganisweni zezinto eziphilayo afaka i-oxygen, i-nitrogen, isulfure, i-phosphorus, nama-halogen angenawo umsakazo, kanye nezinsimbi i-lithium ne-magnesium.