This dramatically increases the number of patterns that carbon atoms can make. Carbon can also link together in long chains or rings, carbon to carbon to carbon to carbon and so on. And, quite unusually, these long chains cannot be destroyed by water or air or be attacked by bacteria. This explains why so many plastics do not disintegrate in the environment in the way that other materials do. Only sunlight can destroy some polymers, causing the chains to break, and the material to become brittle.
Carbon is part of many compounds, all of which have certain common properties.
When they burn, the compound is oxidised and carbon dioxide is produced. 3 Many carbon-based compounds are not attracted to water and so in general do not dissolve in water. As a result, water alone cannot be used to remove grease or oil from a surface, nor will water dissolve our skin, because all of these things are carbon compounds. 4 Groups that contain carbon and nitrogen often have an unpleasant smell in liquid form. Some people compare it to rotting fish.