Here is a brief description of carbon. Image of a sample provided by Advent Research Materials Ltd . Carbon is a Group 14 element.
Carbon is distributed very widely in nature.
It is found in abundance in the sun, stars, comets, and atmospheres of most planets. Graphite is one of the softest known materials while diamond is one of the hardest. Carbon, as microscopic diamonds, is found in some meteorites. Diamonds are also recovered from the ocean floor off the Cape of Good Hope. This new form of carbon is the subject of great interest in research laboratories today.