what is carbon.
Carbon is an incredible element. Arrange carbon atoms in one way, and they become soft, pliable graphite. Re-jigger the arrangement, and â presto! â the atoms form diamond, one of the hardest materials in the world. Carbon is also the key ingredient for most life on Earth; the pigment that made the first tattoos; and the basis for technological marvels such as graphene, which is a material stronger than steel and more flexible than rubber. [See Periodic Table of the Elements]