How can graphite and diamond be so different if they are both composed of pure carbon? - Scientific American Scientific American How can graphite and diamond be so different if they are both composed of pure carbon? Share on Facebook Report Ad Miriam Rossi, a professor of chemistry at Vassar College, provides the following explanation: Both diamond and graphite are made entirely out of carbon, as is the more recently discovered buckminsterfullerene (a discrete soccer-ball-shaped molecule containing carbon 60 atoms). The way the carbon atoms are arranged in space, however, is different for the three materials, making them allotropes of carbon. The differing properties of carbon and diamond arise from their distinct crystal structures. In a diamond, the carbon atoms are arranged tetrahedrally. Each carbon atom is attached to four other carbon atoms 1.544 x 10-10 meter away with a C-C-C bond angle of 109.5 degrees. It is a strong, rigid three-dimensional structure that results in an infinite network of atoms. This accounts for diamond's hardness, extraordinary strength and durability and gives diamond a higher density than graphite (3.514 grams per cubic centimeter).

Because of its tetrahedral structure, diamond also shows a great resistance to compression. The hardness of a crystal is measured on a scale, devised by Friederich Mohs, which ranks compounds according to their ability to scratch one another. Diamond will scratch all other materials and is the hardest material known (designated as 10 on the Mohs scale). It is the best conductor of heat that we know, conducting up to five times the amount that copper does. Diamond also conducts sound, but not electricity; it is an insulator, and its electrical resistance, optical transmissivity and chemical inertness are correspondingly remarkable. Moreover, diamonds disperse light. This means that the refractive indices for red and violet light are different (2.409 and 2.465, respectively). As a result, the gemstone acts like a prism to separate white light into rainbow colors, and its dispersion is 0.056 (the difference). The greater the dispersion, the better the spectrum of colors that is obtained. This property gives rise to the "fire" of diamonds. The "brilliance" of diamonds stems from a combination of refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light.

For yellow light, for example, diamond has a high refractive index, 2.4, and a low critical angle of 24.5 degrees. This means that when yellow light passes into a diamond and hits a second face internally at an angle greater than 24.5 degrees, it cannot pass from the crystal into the outside air but instead gets reflected back to the inside of the gemstone. The carbon atoms in graphite are also arranged in an infinite array, but they are layered. These atoms have two types of interactions with one another. In the first, each carbon atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms and arranged at the corners of a network of regular hexagons with a 120-degree C-C-C bond angle. These planar arrangements extend in two dimensions to form a horizontal, hexagonal "chicken-wire" array. In addition, these planar arrays are held together by weaker forces known as stacking interactions. The distance between two layers is longer (3.347 x 10-10 meter) than the distance between carbon atoms within each layer (1.418 x 10-10 meter). This three-dimensional structure accounts for the physical properties of graphite.

Unlike diamond, graphite can be used as a lubricant or in pencils because the layers cleave readily. It is soft and slippery, and its hardness is less than one on the Mohs scale. Graphite also has a lower density (2.266 grams per cubic centimeter) than diamond. The planar structure of graphite allows electrons to move easily within the planes. This permits graphite to conduct electricity and heat as well as absorb light and, unlike diamond, appear black in color. Answer originally posted May 20, 2002. It's Elemental - The Element Carbon It's Elemental Melting Point: 3823 K (3550°C or 6422°F) Boiling Point: 4098 K (3825°C or 6917°F) Density: 2.2670 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at Room Temperature: Solid Element Classification: Non-metal Period Number: 2 Group Number: 14 Group Name: none What's in a name? From the Latin word for charcoal, carbo. Say what? Carbon is pronounced as KAR-ben.

History and Uses: Carbon, the sixth most abundant element in the universe , has been known since ancient times. Carbon is most commonly obtained from coal deposits, although it usually must be processed into a form suitable for commercial use. Three naturally occurring allotropes of carbon are known to exist: amorphous, graphite and diamond. Amorphous carbon is formed when a material containing carbon is burned without enough oxygen for it to burn completely. This black soot, also known as lampblack, gas black, channel black or carbon black, is used to make inks, paints and rubber products. It can also be pressed into shapes and is used to form the cores of most dry cell batteries, among other things. Graphite, one of the softest materials known, is a form of carbon that is primarily used as a lubricant. Although it does occur naturally, most commercial graphite is produced by treating petroleum coke, a black tar residue remaining after the refinement of crude oil, in an oxygen-free oven. Naturally occurring graphite occurs in two forms, alpha and beta. These two forms have identical physical properties but different crystal structures. All artificially produced graphite is of the alpha type.

In addition to its use as a lubricant, graphite, in a form known as coke, is used in large amounts in the production of steel. Coke is made by heating soft coal in an oven without allowing oxygen to mix with it. Although commonly called lead , the black material used in pencils is actually graphite. Diamond, the third naturally occurring form of carbon, is one of the hardest substances known. Although naturally occurring diamond is typically used for jewelry, most commercial quality diamonds are artificially produced. These small diamonds are made by squeezing graphite under high temperatures and pressures for several days or weeks and are primarily used to make things like diamond tipped saw blades. Although they posses very different physical properties, graphite and diamond differ only in their crystal structure. A fourth allotrope of carbon, known as white carbon, was produced in 1969. It is a transparent material that can split a single beam of light into two beams, a property known as birefringence. Very little is known about this form of carbon. Large molecules consisting only of carbon, known as buckminsterfullerenes, or buckyballs, have recently been discovered and are currently the subject of much scientific interest.

A single buckyball consists of 60 or 70 carbon atoms (C60 or C70) linked together in a structure that looks like a soccer ball. They can trap other atoms within their framework, appear to be capable of withstanding great pressures and have magnetic and superconductive properties. Carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon with a half-life of 5,730 years, is used to find the age of formerly living things through a process known as radiocarbon dating. The theory behind carbon dating is fairly simple. Scientists know that a small amount of naturally occurring carbon is carbon-14. Although carbon-14 decays into nitrogen -14 through beta decay , the amount of carbon-14 in the environment remains constant because new carbon-14 is always being created in the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays. Living things tend to ingest materials that contain carbon, so the percentage of carbon-14 within living things is the same as the percentage of carbon-14 in the environment. Once an organism dies, it no longer ingests much of anything.

The carbon-14 within that organism is no longer replaced and the percentage of carbon-14 begins to decrease as it decays. By measuring the percentage of carbon-14 in the remains of an organism, and by assuming that the natural abundance of carbon-14 has remained constant over time, scientists can estimate when that organism died. For example, if the concentration of carbon-14 in the remains of an organism is half of the natural concentration of carbon-14, a scientist would estimate that the organism died about 5,730 years ago, the half-life of carbon-14. There are nearly ten million known carbon compounds and an entire branch of chemistry, known as organic chemistry, is devoted to their study. Many carbon compounds are essential for life as we know it.

Some of the most common carbon compounds are: carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon disulfide (CS2), chloroform (CHCl3), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4), acetylene (C2H2), benzene (C6H6), ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) and acetic acid (CH3COOH). Estimated Crustal Abundance: 2.00×102 milligrams per kilogram Estimated Oceanic Abundance: 2.8×101 milligrams per liter Number of Stable Isotopes: 2 ( View all isotope data ) Ionization Energy: 11.260 eV Compound vs Element - Difference and Comparison | Diffen Compound vs. Element Diffen › Science › Chemistry Elements and compounds are pure chemical substances found in nature. The difference between an element and a compound is that an element is a substance made of same type of atoms, whereas a compound is made of different elements in definite proportions. Examples of elements include iron, copper, hydrogen and oxygen.

Examples of compounds include water (H2O) and salt (Sodium Chloride - NaCl) Elements are listed according to their atomic number on the Periodic Table. Among the 117 known elements, 94 are naturally occurring like carbon, oxygen, hydrogen etc. 22 are artificially produced having undergone radioactive changes. The reason for this is their instability due to which they undergo radioactive decay over a period of time giving rise to new elements during the process like Uranium, Thorium, Bismuth etc. Elements combine in fixed ratios and give rise to stable compounds due to chemical bonds that facilitate compound formation. Comparison chart 4 References Differences in Properties Elements are distinguished by their name, symbol, atomic number, melting point, boiling point, density and ionization energies . In the Periodic Table, elements are arranged according to their atomic number and they are grouped according to similar chemical properties and are depicted by their symbols. Atomic number – the atomic number is denoted by the letter Z and is the number of protons present in the nucleus of the atom of element. For e.g. carbon has 6 protons in its nucleus and for Carbon, Z = 6.

Number of protons is also indicative of electric charge or number of electrons present in the nucleus which determines chemical properties of the element. Atomic Mass – the letter A indicates the atomic mass of the element which is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of the element. Isotopes of the same elements differ in their atomic masses. Isotopes – isotopes of an element have the same number of protons in their nucleus but differ in the number of neutrons. Naturally occurring elements have more than one stable isotope. Thus isotopes have similar chemical properties (due to same number of protons) but different nuclear properties (due to different number of neutrons). For e.g. carbon has three isotopes, Carbon - 12, Carbon -13 and Carbon - 14. Allotropes – atoms of an element can form bonds with each other in more than one way leading to difference in their chemical properties. For e.g. carbon binds in a tetrahedron to form diamond and layers of hexagons of carbon forms graphite. Compounds are composed of different elements in a fixed proportion.

For example, 1 atom of sodium (Na) combines with 1 atom of chlorine (Cl) to form one molecule of sodium chloride (NaCl) compound. The elements in a compound do not always retain their original properties and cannot be separated by physical means. The combining of elements is facilitated by their valency. Valency is defined as the number of hydrogen atoms required that can combine with an atom of the element forming the compound. Most compounds can exist as solids (low enough temperatures) and can be decomposed by the application of heat. Sometimes foreign elements are trapped inside crystal structure of compounds giving them a non homogeneous structure. Compounds are depicted by their chemical formula which follows the Hill system wherein carbon atoms are listed first, followed by hydrogen atoms after which elements are listed in alphabetical order. History of Elements and Compounds Elements were initially used as a reference to any state of matter like liquid, gas, air, solid etc. Indian, Japanese and Greek traditions refer to five elements namely, air, water, earth, fire and aether. Aristotle conceptualized a new fifth element called 'quintessence' - which apparently formed the heavens. As research continued, many eminent scientists paved way for the current understanding and description of elements.

Among them, work of Robert Boyle, Antoine Lavoisier, Dmitri Mendeleev are particularly notable. Lavoisier was the first to make a list of chemical elements and Mendeleev was the first to arrange elements according to their atomic number in the Periodic Table. The most current definition of an element is awarded by the studies carried out by Henry Moseley which states that the atomic number of an atom is expressed physically by its nuclear charge. Before the 1800s the usage of term compound could also mean a mixture. It was in the 19th century that meaning of a compound could be distinguished from a mixture. Alchemists like Joseph Louis Proust, Dalton and Berthollet and their studies on various compounds have given modern chemistry the current definition of compound. Proust’s work demonstrated to the world of chemistry that compounds were made constant composition of respective elements. CAS Number Every chemical substance is identified by its unique numerical identifier – the CAS (chemical abstracts service) number. Hence every chemical compound and element has a CAS number. This makes database searches for elements and compounds more convenient.

References Graphite: The mineral Graphite information and pictures Advertising Information The Mineral graphite Graphite is a mineral composed exclusively of the element carbon. Graphite has the same chemical composition as Diamond , which is also pure carbon, but the molecular structure of Graphite and Diamond is entirely different. This causes almost opposite characteristics in their physical properties. Graphite is rather common mineral, but fine crystals are rare. Most Graphite mining areas produce enormous quantities from a single or several large Graphite vein s, but collector specimens in good crystals are not commonly encountered. Much care should be given to Graphite specimens, especially thin crystals, which are fragile. It may be difficult to wash crystals, as they easily peel off and get ruined. Graphite will also smudge on its surface, and can get worn out if it is moved around too much. It also smudges the hand when handled, and will smudge a label or cardboard box if stored in one. USES Much of the commercially mined Graphite is used for pencil fillings. The "lead" filling in pencils is in fact composed of a mixture of Graphite and clay . Graphite's main function, however, is as a lubricant .

It has many electrical uses, primarily because it is the only common nonmetal that is a good conductor of electricity. NOTEWORTHY LOCALITIES Although Graphite is not particularly rare, good Graphite crystals are uncommon. Well-known worldwide localities for Graphite are Pargas, Finland; Mount Vesuvius, Italy; Borrowdale, Cumbria, England; and Mont Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, Canada. The Merelani Hills of Arusha, Tanzania, has produced sharp crystal plates that are associated with Diopside and Garnet . In the U.S., extensive commercial Graphite deposits exist in Ticonderoga, Essex Co., New York, and in Clay Co., Alabama. Graphite as small flakes and plate s is common in the Franklin Marble Belt, specifically at Amity, Orange Co., New York, and across the state border at Franklin, Ogdensburg, and Sparta, Sussex Co., New Jersey. Crystal masses and large plates have also come from the Hudson Highlands region, especially near Stony Point, Rockland County, New York.

Graphite flecks have also been found at the French Creek mine Chester Co., Pennsylvania; at Bisbee, Cochise Co., Arizona; and at Crestmore, Riverside Co., California. carbon (C) | chemical element | Britannica.com chemical element charcoal Carbon (C), a nonmetallic chemical element in Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table . Although widely distributed in nature, carbon is not particularly plentiful—it makes up only about 0.025 percent of Earth ’s crust—yet it forms more compounds than all the other elements combined. In 1961 the isotope carbon-12 was selected to replace oxygen as the standard relative to which the atomic weights of all the other elements are measured. Carbon-14 , which is radioactive, is the isotope used in radiocarbon dating and radiolabeling. Properties and uses On a weight basis, carbon is 19th in order of elemental abundance in the crust of Earth, and there are estimated to be 3.5 times as many carbon atoms as silicon atoms in the universe . Only hydrogen , helium , oxygen , neon , and nitrogen are atomically more abundant in the cosmos than carbon.

Carbon is the cosmic product of the “burning” of helium in which three helium nuclei, atomic number 4, fuse to produce a carbon nucleus, atomic number 12. In the crust of Earth, elemental carbon is a minor component. However, carbon compounds (i.e., carbonates of magnesium and calcium ) form common minerals (e.g., magnesite , dolomite , marble , or limestone ). Coral and the shells of oysters and clams are primarily calcium carbonate . Carbon is widely distributed as coal and in the organic compounds that constitute petroleum , natural gas , and all plant and animal tissue. A natural sequence of chemical reactions called the carbon cycle —involving conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide to carbohydrates by photosynthesis in plants, the consumption of these carbohydrates by animals and oxidation of them through metabolism to produce carbon dioxide and other products, and the return of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere —is one of the most important of all biological processes. carbon group element: Carbon as an element was discovered by the first person to handle charcoal from fire. Thus, together with sulfur , iron, tin , lead, copper, mercury , silver , and gold , carbon was one of the small group of elements well known in the ancient world.

Modern carbon chemistry dates from the development of coals, petroleum, and natural gas as fuels and from the elucidation of synthetic organic chemistry, both substantially developed since the 1800s. Similar Topics polyolefin Elemental carbon exists in several forms, each of which has its own physical characteristics. Two of its well-defined forms, diamond and graphite , are crystalline in structure, but they differ in physical properties because the arrangements of the atoms in their structures are dissimilar. A third form, called fullerene , consists of a variety of molecules composed entirely of carbon. A fourth form, called Q-carbon, is crystalline and magnetic. Yet another form, known as carbon black , is amorphous in structure and includes charcoal , lampblack , coal , and coke , although X-ray examination has revealed that these substances do possess a low degree of crystallinity. Diamond and graphite occur naturally on Earth, and they also can be produced synthetically; they are chemically inert but do combine with oxygen at high temperatures , just as amorphous carbon does. Fullerene was serendipitously discovered in 1985 as a synthetic product in the course of laboratory experiments to simulate the chemistry in the atmosphere of giant stars.

It was later found to occur naturally in tiny amounts on Earth and in meteorites . Q-carbon is also synthetic, but scientists have speculated that it could form within the hot environments of some planetary cores. The word carbon probably derives from the Latin carbo, meaning variously “coal,” “charcoal,” “ember.” The term diamond, a corruption of the Greek word adamas, “the invincible,” aptly describes the permanence of this crystallized form of carbon, just as graphite, the name for the other crystal form of carbon, derived from the Greek verb graphein, “to write,” reflects its property of leaving a dark mark when rubbed on a surface. Before the discovery in 1779 that graphite when burned in air forms carbon dioxide, graphite was confused with both the metal lead and a superficially similar substance, the mineral molybdenite. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent Pure diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance known and is a poor conductor of electricity . Graphite, on the other hand, is a soft slippery solid that is a good conductor of both heat and electricity.

Carbon as diamond is the most expensive and brilliant of all the natural gemstones and the hardest of the naturally occurring abrasives. Graphite is used as a lubricant. In microcrystalline and nearly amorphous form, it is used as a black pigment , an adsorbent, a fuel, a filler for rubber , and, mixed with clay , as the “lead” of pencils . Because it conducts electricity but does not melt, graphite is also used for electrodes in electric furnaces and dry cells as well as for making crucibles in which metals are melted. Molecules of fullerene take the form of spheroidal closed cages containing various numbers of carbon atoms and long hollow cylinders (the latter being known as nanotubes). They show promise in a range of applications, including high-tensile-strength materials, unique electronic and energy-storage devices, and safe encapsulation of flammable gases such as hydrogen.

Q-carbon , which is created by rapidly cooling a sample of elemental carbon the temperature of which has been raised to 4,000 K (3,727 °C [6,740 °F]), is harder than diamond, and it can be used to manufacture diamond structures (such as diamond films and microneedles) within its matrix. Elemental carbon is nontoxic. Periodic Table of the Elements Each of the amorphous forms of carbon has its own specific character, and, hence, each has its own particular applications. All are products of oxidation and other forms of decomposition of organic compounds. Coal and coke, for example, are used extensively as fuels. Charcoal is used as an absorptive and filtering agent and as a fuel and in the manufacture of gunpowder . (Coals are elemental carbon mixed with varying amounts of carbon compounds; coke and charcoal are nearly pure carbon.) In addition to its uses in making inks, carbon paper , typewriter ribbons, and paints , carbon black also is added to the rubber used in tires to improve its wearing qualities.

Bone black , or animal charcoal, can adsorb gases and colouring matter from many other materials; a major use is in decolourizing raw sugar . Connect with Britannica Carbon, either elemental or combined, is usually determined quantitatively by conversion to carbon dioxide gas , which can then be absorbed by other chemicals to give either a weighable product or a solution with acidic properties that can be titrated. Production of elemental carbon Until 1955 all diamonds were obtained from natural deposits, most significant in southern Africa but occurring also in Brazil , Venezuela , British Guiana (now Guyana ), and Siberia . The single known source in the United States , in Arkansas , has no commercial importance, nor is India , once historically a source of fine diamonds, a significant present-day supplier. The primary source of diamonds is a soft, bluish-coloured peridotic rock called kimberlite (after the famous deposit at Kimberley, South Africa ), found in volcanic structures called pipes; but many diamonds occur in alluvial deposits presumably resulting from the weathering of primary sources. Isolated finds around the world in regions where no sources are indicated have not been uncommon.

Natural deposits are worked by crushing, by gravity and flotation separations, and by removal of diamonds by their adherence to a layer of grease on a suitable table. The following products result: (1) diamond proper—distorted cubic-crystalline, gem-quality stones varying from colourless to red, pink, blue, green, and yellow; (2) bort—minute, dark crystals of abrasive but not gem quality; (3) ballas—randomly oriented crystals of abrasive quality; (4) macles—triangular, pillow-shaped crystals that are industrially useful; and (5) carbonado—mixed diamond–graphite crystallites containing other impurities. The successful laboratory conversion of graphite to diamond was made in 1955. The procedure involved the simultaneous use of extremely high pressure and temperature with iron as a solvent or catalyst . Subsequently, chromium , manganese , cobalt , nickel , and tantalum were substituted for iron . Synthetic diamonds are now manufactured in several countries and are being used increasingly in place of natural materials as industrial abrasives . Graphite occurs naturally in many areas, the deposits of major importance being in South Korea , Austria , China , Mexico , Madagascar , Germany , Sri Lanka , and Russia .

Both surface- and deep-mining techniques are used, followed by flotation , but the major portion of commercial graphite is produced by heating petroleum coke in an electric furnace . A better crystallized form, known as pyrolytic graphite, is obtained from the decomposition of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons by heat. Graphite fibres of considerable tensile strength are obtained by carbonizing natural and synthetic organic fibres. Britannica Lists & Quizzes Carbon»the essentials [WebElements Periodic Table] Element News Carbon: the essentials 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 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 is very thin but what there is contains about 95 % 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. 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. CAS Registry ID : 7440-44-0 A diamond ring. More recently, another form of carbon, buckminsterfullerene, C60, was discovered. This form of carbon is the subject of great interest in research laboratories today. Pure carbon is available in a number of different forms (allotropes). The most common form of pure carbon is α-graphite. This is also the thermodynamically most stable form. Diamond is a second form of carbon but is much less common.

Other forms of carbon include the fullerenes. Whereas diamond and graphite are infinite lattices, fullerenes such as buckminsterfullerene, C60, is a discrete molecular species. Amorphous forms of carbon such as soot and lampblack are materials consisting of very small particles of graphite. Most graphite is α-graphite and it possesses a layer structure in which each carbon is directly bound to three other carbon atoms at a distance of 141.5 pm. Delocalization in the bonding is evident since the C-C distances are equal and shorter than normal carbon-carbon single bonds (typcally 154 pm). The distance between the layers of carbon atoms is 335.4 pm. In most graphite (α-graphite), the layers of atoms are arranged in an ABABAB... repeat fashion but the β-form (rhombohedral) the stacking is ABCABCABC... although the carbon-carbon distances and the interlayer spacing remains the same as in the α-form. The enthalpy difference between α- and α-graphite is less than 1 kJ mol-1 (0.59 ± 0.17 kJ mol-1.

Forms of the heavier elements corresponding to graphite are not known and the structures of silicon, germanium, and grey tin are related to the diamond structure (below). Atom arrangements in the most common allotrops of carbon: α-graphite. As diamond has a slightly more compact structure its density is greater than that of graphite. The appearance of diamond is well known and it is also one of the hardest materials known. Like graphite, it is relatively unreactive but does burn in air at 600-800°C. Each carbon atom is bound to four neighbours at a distance of 154.45 pm in a tetrahedral fashion and so each diamond crystal is a single giant lattice structure. In principle (and in practice!) graphite may be converted into diamond by the application of heat and pressure. The unit cell of diamond is cubic with a = 356.68 pm. Nearly all diamonds posses this structure but a very small percentage show a hexagonal structure related to wurtzite and these are called lonsdaleite. Crystal strucutres of diamond. Recently another allotrope of carbon was characterized.

Whereas diamond and graphite are infinite lattices, buckminsterfullerene, C60, is a discrete molecular species. The buckminsterfullerene molecule is a net of 12 pentagons and 20 hexagons folded into a sphere. The effect is very similar to the patchwork of 12 pentagonal and 20 hexagonal pieces of leather that sewn together make up an association football (soccer ball). The name buckminsterfullerene (or buckyball was coined because of the relationship between the structure of C60 and R. Buckminster Fuller's geodesic dome designs. Buckminsterfullerene is now commercially available and has also been identified in interstellar space and soot. C60, Buckminsterfullerene. Other fullerenes (closed carbon cages) such as C60 and C84 are known as well, and inded available commercially. The smallest fullerene possible is the dodecahedral C20, consisting of 12 pentagons and no hexagons at all. Nanotubes are related to fullerenes. They are tubes giving the appearance of rolled graphite, although they are made from graphite.

They are open ended while fullerenes are closed structures. One interesting feature of fullerenes is their ability to enclose atoms such as potassium and other alkali metals to make endohedral structures denoted as K@C60. 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: historical information Carbon was discovered by known since ancient times although not recognised as an element until much later. in unknown at not known. Origin of name : from the Latin word "carbo" meaning "charcoal". Carbon as charcoal, soot and coal has been used since prehistoric times. Carbon as diamond has also been known since very ancient times.

The recognition that soot (amorphous carbon), graphite (another form of carbon) and diamond are all forms of carbon. A fourth form, buckminsterfullerene, formula C60, whose framework is reminiscent of the seams in an Association Football ("soccer") ball, is the subject of considerable interest at present and was only discovered a few years ago in work involving Harry Kroto , a Sheffield graduate. Sometime prior to the autumn of 1803, the Englishman John Dalton was able to explain the results of some of his studies by assuming that matter is composed of atoms and that all samples of any given compound consist of the same combination of these atoms. Dalton also noted that in series of compounds, the ratios of the masses of the second element that combine with a given weight of the first element can be reduced to small whole numbers (the law of multiple proportions). This was further evidence for atoms. Dalton's theory of atoms was published by Thomas Thomson in the 3rd edition of his System of Chemistry in 1807 and in a paper about strontium oxalates published in the Philosophical Transactions. Dalton published these ideas himself in the following year in the New System of Chemical Philosophy.

The symbol used by Dalton for carbon is shown below. [See History of Chemistry, Sir Edward Thorpe, volume 1, Watts & Co, London, 1914.] Carbon around us Read more » Carbon is key to life and by definition is present in all organic compounds. The study of life is known as biological chemistry or biochemistry. Ethene gas (C2H4) helps to ripen tomatoes. 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 kimberlite of ancient volcanic "pipes" such as found in South Africa. Diamonds are also recovered from the ocean floor off the Cape of Good Hope. Carbon is distributed very widely in nature as calcium carbonate (limestone). Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are chiefly hydrocarbons. Carbon is found as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the earth and dissolved in all natural waters. The atmosphere of Mars contains 96% CO2. It is plentiful in the sun, stars, comets, and the atmospheres of most planets.

Abundances for carbon in a number of different environments. More abundance data » Location Second ionisation energy : 2352.6 kJ mol‑1 Isolation Isolation : 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. Carbon isotopes Read more » Carbon isotopes and mainly C-13 is used extensively in many different applications.

C-13 is used for instance in organic chemistry research, studies into molecular structures, metabolism, food labeling, air pollution and climate change. C-13 is also used in breath tests to determine the presence of the helicobacter pylori bacteria which causes stomach ulcer. C-13 can also be used for the production of the radioisotope N-13 which is a PET isotope. The C-12 atom has been given the atomic weight of exactly 12.000000000 and is used as the basis upon which the atomic weight of other isotopes is determined. What Elements Make Up the Compound Carbon Dioxide? | Education - Seattle PI What Elements Make Up the Compound Carbon Dioxide? Education by Demand Media Carbon dioxide gives soda its fizz. Related Articles The Effects of Carbon Dioxide in the Bloodstream Carbon dioxide is a tasteless, odorless gas that makes up less than 1 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. It’s a natural product of respiration, and plants use it to make food. Too much carbon dioxide is dangerous. It contributes to global warming, and if you can’t breathe out the carbon dioxide your body makes, you can become seriously ill or die.

Chemical Makeup A molecule of the compound carbon dioxide contains one atom of the element carbon and two atoms of the element oxygen. Each oxygen atom shares a double bond with the carbon atom. Carbon is the sixth element in the periodic table and occurs in pure form as coal and diamonds. Oxygen, element eight, is a gas that makes up about 21 percent of the atmosphere. Living things take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. The oxygen helps turn food into energy, creating carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Green plants use carbon dioxide in photosynthesis to make and store carbohydrates, the plants’ food source. Carbon Dioxide Dangers Hypercapnia is a disorder in which too much carbon dioxide builds up in the bloodstream. It can be fatal and is one of the causes of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. The causes of hypercapnia include lung disease, rebreathing exhaled air and exposure to high concentrations of carbon dioxide. As a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide contributes to global warming, which, if left unchecked, might create many problems for planet Earth.

References Facts About Carbon Facts About Carbon By Stephanie Pappas, Live Science Contributor | August 9, 2014 06:32pm ET MORE Credit: general-fmv , Andrei Marincas | Shutterstock Carbon is an incredible element. Arrange carbon atoms in one way, and they become soft, pliable graphite. Re-jigger the arrangement, and — presto! — 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 ] Carbon occurs naturally as carbon-12, which makes up almost 99 percent of the carbon in the universe; carbon-13, which makes up about 1 percent; and carbon-14, which makes up a minuscule amount of overall carbon but is very important in dating organic objects.

Just the facts Atomic Number (number of protons in the nucleus): 6 Atomic Symbol (on the Periodic Table of Elements): C Atomic Weight (average mass of the atom): 12.0107 Density: 2.2670 grams per cubic centimeter Phase at Room Temperature: Solid Melting Point: 6,422 degrees Fahrenheit (3,550 degrees C) Boiling Point: 6,872 F (3,800 C) (sublimation) Number of isotopes: 15 total; two stable isotopes, which are atoms of the same element with a different number of neutrons. Most common isotopes: carbon-12 (6 protons, 6 neutrons and 6 electrons) and carbon-13 (6 protons, 7 neutrons and 6 electrons) Carbon: From stars to life As the sixth-most abundant element in the universe, carbon forms in the belly of stars in a reaction called the triple-alpha process, according to the Swinburne Center for Astrophysics and Supercomputing. In older stars that have burned most of their hydrogen , leftover helium accumulates.

Each helium nucleus has two protons and two neutrons. Under very hot temperatures — greater than 100,000,000 Kelvin (179,999,540.6 F) — the helium nuclei begin to fuse, first as pairs into unstable 4-proton beryllium nuclei, and eventually, as enough beryllium nuclei blink into existence, into a beryllium plus a helium. The end result: Atoms with six protons and six neutrons — carbon. While scientists sometimes conceptualize electrons spinning around an atom's nucleus in a defined shell, they actually fly around the nucleus at various distances; this view of the carbon atom can be seen here in two electron cloud figures (bottom), showing the electrons in a single blob (the so-called s-orbital) and in a two-lobed blob or cloud (the p-orbital). Credit: Physical Review B, DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.80.165404 Carbon is a pattern maker. It can link to itself, forming long, resilient chains called polymers.

It can also bond with up to four other atoms because of its electron arrangement. Atoms are arranged as a nucleus surrounded by an electron cloud, with electrons zinging around at different distances from the nucleus. Chemists conceive of these distances as shells, and define the properties of atoms by what is in each shell, according to the University of California, Davis . Carbon has two electron shells, with the first holding two electrons and the second holding four out of a possible eight spaces. When atoms bond, they share electrons in their outermost shell. Carbon has four empty spaces in its outer shell, enabling it to bond to four other atoms. (It can also bond stably to fewer atoms by forming double and triple bonds.) In other words, carbon has options. And it uses them: Nearly 10 million carbon compounds have been discovered, and scientists estimate that carbon is the keystone for 95 percent of known compounds, according to the website Chemistry Explained. Carbon's incredible ability to bond with many other elements is a major reason that it is crucial to almost all life. Carbon's discovery is lost to history. The element was known to prehistoric humans in the form of charcoal.

Carbon as coal is still a major source of fuel worldwide, providing about 30 percent of energy worldwide, according to the World Coal Association. Coal is also a key component in steel production, while graphite, another form of carbon, is a common industrial lubricant. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon used by archaeologists to date objects and remains. Carbon-14 is naturally occurring in the atmosphere. Plants take it up in respiration, in which they convert sugars made during photosynthesis back into energy that they use to grow and maintain other processes, according to Colorado State University . Animals incorporate carbon-14 into their bodies by eating plants or other plant-eating animals. Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5,730 years, meaning that after that time, half of the carbon-14 in a sample decays away, according to the University of Arizona . Because organisms stop taking in carbon-14 after death, scientists can use carbon-14's half-life as a sort of clock to measure how long it has been since the organism died. This method works on once-living organisms, including objects made of wood or other plant material. Who knew?

Carbon gets its name from the Latin word carbo, which means "coal." Diamonds and graphite are among the hardest and softest natural materials known, respectively. The only difference between the two is their crystal structure. Carbon makes up 0.032 percent of the Earth's lithosphere (crust and outer mantle) by weight, according to the Encyclopedia of Earth. A rough estimate of the weight of the lithosphere by La Salle University geologist David Smith is 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (or 3*10^23) pounds, making the approximate weight of carbon in the lithosphere 10,560,000,000,000,000,000,000 (or 1.056*10^22) pounds. Carbon dioxide (a carbon atom plus two oxygen atoms) makes up about 0.04 percent of Earth's atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — an increase over pre-industrial times, because of the burning of fossil fuels.

Carbon monoxide (a carbon atom plus one oxygen atom) is an odorless gas produced from the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon monoxide kills by binding to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying compound in the blood. Carbon monoxide bonds to hemoglobin 210 times more strongly than oxygen binds to hemoglobin, effectively crowding out oxygen and suffocating the tissues, according to a 2001 paper in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine . Diamond, the flashiest version of carbon, is formed under great pressure deep in the Earth's crust. The largest gem-quality diamond ever found was the Cullinan diamond, which was discovered in 1905, according to the Royal Collection Trust . The uncut diamond was 3,106.75 carats. The largest gem cut from the stone, at 530.2 carats, is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and is known as the Great Star of Africa. The tattoos of Ötzi the Iceman , a 5,300-year-old corpse found frozen in the Alps, were inked from carbon, according to a 2009 study in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Small incisions in the skin were made, and charcoal rubbed in, perhaps as part of an acupuncture treatment. Ongoing research Carbon is a long-studied element, but that doesn't mean there isn't more to discover. In fact, the same element that our prehistoric ancestors burned as charcoal may be the key to next-generation tech materials. In 1985, Rick Smalley and Robert Curl of Rice University in Texas and their colleagues discovered a new form of carbon. By vaporizing graphite with lasers, the scientists created a mysterious new molecule made of pure carbon, according to the American Chemical Society . This molecule turned out to be a soccer-ball-shaped sphere made of 60 carbon atoms. The research team named their discovery the buckminsterfullerene after an architect who designed geodesic domes. The molecule is now more commonly known as the "buckyball." The researchers who discovered it won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996.

Buckyballs have been found to inhibit the spread of HIV, according to a study published in 2009 in the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling ; medical researchers are working to attach drugs, molecule-by-molecule, to buckyballs in order to deliver medicine directly to sites of infection or tumors in the body; this includes research by Columbia University , Rice University and others. Since then, other new, pure carbon molecules — called fullerenes — have been discovered, including elliptical-shaped "buckyeggs" and carbon nanotubes with amazing conductive properties. Carbon chemistry is still hot enough to capture Nobel Prizes: In 2010, researchers from Japan and the United States won one for figuring out how to link carbon atoms together using palladium atoms, a method that enables the manufacture of large, complex carbon molecules, according to the Nobel Foundation. Scientists and engineers are working with these carbon nanomaterials to build materials straight out of science-fiction. A 2010 paper in the journal Nano Letters reports the invention of flexible, conductive textiles dipped in a carbon nanotube "ink" that could be used to store energy, perhaps paving the way for wearable batteries, solar cells and other electronics.

Perhaps one of the hottest areas in carbon research today, however, involves the "miracle material" graphene. Graphene is a sheet of carbon only one atom thick. It's the strongest material known while still being ultralight and flexible. And it conducts electricity better than copper. Mass-producing graphene is a challenge, though researchers in April 2014 reported that they could make large amounts using nothing but a kitchen blender . If scientists can figure out how to make lots of graphene easily, the material could become huge in tech. Imagine flexible, unbreakable gadgets that also happen to be paper-thin. Carbon has come a long way from charcoal and diamonds, indeed. Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+ . Follow us @livescience , Facebook & Google+ . Learn more about carbon: Why is diamond hard and graphite soft if both are made of carbon? EXPLAIN IT WITH MOLECULES- - GRAPHITE AND DIAMOND Why is Graphite soft and Diamond hard if both are pure carbon? Carbon alone forms the familiar substances graphite and diamond. Both graphite and diamond are made only of carbon atoms. Graphite is very soft and slippery. Diamond is the hardest substance known to man.

If both are made only of carbon what gives them different properties? The answer lies in the way the carbon atoms form bonds with each other. Note about 3D molecules -- Our files on this page now use Jsmol instead of Jmol. These files make use of Javascript which permits viewing of 3D molecules on tablets and phones and is also easier to use on Macs. - Jsmol is best viewed with the Chrome browser.For the same file in Jmol go to graphite_jmol file. Try this: Rotate the Graphite molecule (Hold the left mouse button down over the image and move the mouse to rotate the graphite molecule). Notice that graphite is layered. While there are strong covalent bonds between carbon atoms in each layer, there are only weak forces between layers. This allows layers of carbon to slide over each other in graphite. On the other hand, in diamond each carbon atom is the same distance to each of its neighboring carbon atoms. In this rigid network atoms cannot move. This explains why diamonds are so hard and have such a high melting point. [Diamond structure shown using the Jsmol ] Try this!! Rotate the structure of diamond -- Notice that each diamond atom is the same distance to each of its neighboring carbon atoms.

There is a rigid network of bonds within the diamond crystal. What is the bond length for a diamond C-C bond? -- Double click twice on first atom, drag to second atom and double click again 1) What is the distance of the C-C bond in diamond? Please enter your answer in the space provided: angstroms. 2) What is the distance of the C-C bond in graphite? angstroms 3)What is distance between the graphite layers? angstroms UCSB Science Line UCSB Science Line What elements are in diamonds, gold, and rust? What is the scientific name for rust? Answer 1: Diamond is 100 % Carbon, atomic number 6 on the periodic table.Gold, symbol Au is atomic number 79 and is like diamond, a pure substance.Rust on the other hand is ferric oxide or Fe2O3. The mineral is called Hematite. It has a blood red streak. That is if you think you have some hematite, rub the mineral on an unglazed ceramic tile (called a streak plate) and the streak is blood red. Answer 2: The element in diamond is carbon (symbol C). Try and find C in the periodic table.

Diamonds, particularly high quality ones, are very pure carbon. Sometimes however, small amounts of carbons neighbors in the periodic table, such as boron (symbol B), and Nitrogen (symbol N) are also found in diamond. These tend to give diamonds different colors. Gold is an element (symbol Au). The element symbol Au comes from the Latin word for gold which is aurum. Pure gold is usually only used to store money in banks. In jewelry (which is the biggest use of gold) the gold is usually mixed with some copper (symbol Cu) to give it more strength. Rust is usually a mixture of iron (symbol Fe) oxygen (symbol O) and some hydrogen (symbol H). Most rust has the chemical formula FeO2H, also written as FeO (OH), and mineral name of this material is lepidocrocite (pronounced lay-pedo-kro-kite) Answer 3: First, gold is an element. It is very malleable and ductile. Since pure gold is fairly soft, it is often combined with other metals to make alloys to make it a little stronger. The alloys are what you typically find in jewelry, etc. Diamonds are made up of the element carbon.

Also, graphite is also made up of carbon. The only difference between the two is the way that the atoms are bonded together. Interestingly, graphite is the more stable form of carbon, so diamonds will eventually turn into graphite (diamonds aren't really forever!). However, this process takes thousands of years. Rust is the common name for iron oxide, which as the name implies, is made up of the elements iron and oxygen. The compound is Fe2O3. Iron combines quickly with oxygen, and the process of turning iron to iron oxide is an example of corrosion. You can see things like steel rust because steel contains iron. Answer 4: The quick answer is: Diamond is a pure element, carbon; gold is a pure element, gold; and rust is a compound, Iron Oxide, of iron and Oxygen. Diamond is pure elemental carbon, compressed to its crystal form, under extreme heat and pressure deep within the Earth. The symbol for carbon is C. Gold is also an element, in and of itself. Its symbol is Au. It does not easily form compounds so it is found by itself, in stream beds (placer deposits) or in veins in rocks. Rust is a compound: Iron Oxide.

It is found all over; everywhere iron and oxygen come in contact! Both iron and oxygen form compounds quite easily, so they are not readily found alone. (The oxygen you breathe is O2, not elemental oxygen.) Rust can come in different forms, because iron (symbol Fe) normally gives up 2 or 3 electrons when it forms compounds. We call these "oxidation states." When iron gives up 2 electrons, it gets a +2 charge, and when it gives up 3 electrons, it gets a +3 charge. To make a neutral compound it must then bond with some element in the proper ratio so as to remove its"excess" positive charge (or, replace its deficit negative charge). Oxygen (symbol O) normally takes 2 electrons when bonding with metals (including hydrogen). So, for a balanced compound of iron oxide, you have either FeO or Fe2O3. Here's what I mean: For FeO, you have one Fe(+2) and one O(-2) = FeO. This compound is also called Iron(II)Oxide. It is one form of rust. The charges balance like this:(+2) + (-2) = 2-2=0.

The other form of rust, Fe2O3, is two Fe(+3) and three O(-2), written Fe2O3, and also called Iron(III)Oxide. The charges balance like this:2(+3) + 3(-2) = 6 - 6 = 0. I hope this helps.Best wishes. Answer 5: Diamond is a polymorph of the element carbon (C). To give you an idea of the many uses of carbon, the macromolecules in our bodies, including DNA,proteins,sugars, and lipids, all contain carbon. Also, the soft lead in your pencil,graphite, is also made up of carbon.The element in gold is of course, gold (Au). The most pure form of gold jewelry as you probably know is 24 karats meaning no other elements are present within the stone. Common impurities in lower karat gold include silver (Ag), copper(Cu), and palladium (Pd). Rust is iron-oxide consisting of the elements iron and oxygen. When water touches an iron surface the water starts reacting with carbon dioxide in the air and forms carbonic acid, a weak acid.

The presence of the acid causes the iron to dissolve. At the same time, the water starts breaking apart into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen from the breakdown of water reacts with the dissolved iron forming iron oxide, rust. Answer 6: GOLD Gold is an element, meaning that it consists only of one type of atom that cannot be chemically broken down into smaller parts. The only way to break gold down into smaller components would be through nuclear reactions that change the number of protons and electrons, the positively and negatively charged particles, inside the gold atoms. The element gold is denoted by the symbol Au in the Periodic Table of Elements. Gold is characterized by having79 protons and, in its elemental or uncharged state, also has 79 electrons. In its most common isotope, gold has 118 neutrons. Gold is typically found in nature in very small quantities mixed into a type of rock called ore, but can also be found in riverbed sediments.

The extraction of gold from the earth is explained at the following websites: For more about gold in general:~eps2/wisc/gold.html DIAMONDS Diamonds are composed almost entirely of the element carbon, often with some other impurities in them, such as nitrogen (i.e., pure diamonds are entirely carbon). The element carbon comes in three different natural forms, or allotropes: diamond, graphite, and amorphous. Although each of these forms is composed entirely of carbon, the carbon atoms are organized and bonded differently, creating unique properties for each. Diamonds are formed under extreme pressure and heat, 100-200 kilometers below the Earths surface, by bonding carbon into a three-dimensional crystal network. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to us. Graphite differs from diamonds in that the carbon atoms are bonded into flat sheets, creating a black, slippery substance that is one of the softest substances known to man. Graphite is what pencil lead is made out of. Amorphous carbon, otherwise known as soot, forms when a carbon-based material burns, or combusts, without enough oxygen to convert it completely to carbon dioxide.

Carbon is characterized by having 6 protons and 6 electrons, and usually 6neutrons. This isotope of carbon is called carbon-12, with the number12referring to the atomic mass, or number of neutrons plus protons. Carbon also exists in the isotope carbon-14, with 8 neutrons, but this form is unstable (a radioactive isotope) and decays into nitrogen-14 over time by releasing an electron and converting a neutron into a proton. For more information about carbon, see this web page: RUST Rust is a molecule that is composed of two elements: iron (Fe, atomic number26) and oxygen (O, atomic number 8). The chemical formula for rust is Fe2O3,which is called iron oxide, but is also known as ferric oxide or hematite,among other names. The word ferric refers to iron ions with a +3 charge (or with 23 electrons), whereas ferrous refers to iron ions with a +2 charge (or with 24 electrons). I think these words may have a Latin derivation, although I am not certain what their Latin meanings or root is.

Rust forms when the oxygen in air or in water combines with iron, which is a major component of steel, for example. Each oxygen atom essentially steals two electrons from the iron, forming oxygen atoms with a 2 charge (O-2 ions), while each iron atom donates three electrons to the oxygen, forming iron atoms with a+3 charge (Fe+3 ions, also known as ferric). Since the oxygen ions are negatively charged and the iron ions are positively charged, they attract and create an ionic bond that forms rust. This type of reaction is known as a reduction-oxidation reaction, or a red-ox reaction, where oxygen is said to be reduced (hence the reduction, or decrease, in oxygens electric charge) and the iron is said to be oxidized by the oxygen. The chemical equation for the formation of rust is: 4(Fe) + 3(O2) = 4(Fe+3) + 6(O-2) = 2 (Fe2O3) Click Here to return to the search form. Copyright © 2015 The Regents of the University of California, All Rights Reserved.

Question: Graphite is composed of which element?
Answer: Carbon