We elaborate the uses of Carbon and atomic properties with characteristics. Carbon is a black (graphite) or colorless (diamond) chemical element with atomic number 6. Its symbol is C and it belongs to the group of non-metals and its usual state in nature is solid. Carbon is located at position 6 on the periodic table.
You Can Visit Our Managed: Periodic Table Main Page
On this page you can discover the chemical properties of carbon and information about carbon and other elements on the periodic table such as silicon, boron, nitrogen or helium. You will also learn what carbon is for and learn about its uses through its properties associated with carbon such as its atomic number or the usual state in which carbon can be found.
You will be able to see carbon qualities such as its melting and boiling point, its magnetic properties or what its chemical symbol is. In addition, here you will find information about its atomic properties such as the distribution of electrons in carbon atoms and other properties.
For some elements, some of this information is unknown. In these cases we show the properties attributed to them.
Carbon properties
One of the properties of non-metal elements such as carbon is for example that non-metal elements are poor conductors of heat and electricity. Carbon, like the other nonmetals, has no luster. Due to their brittleness, nonmetals such as carbon cannot be flattened to form sheets or stretched to become threads.
The state of carbon in its natural form is solid (non-magnetic). Carbon is a chemical element with a black (graphite) or colorless (diamond) appearance and belongs to the group of nonmetals. The atomic number of carbon is 6. The chemical symbol for carbon is C. The melting point of carbon is diamond: 3823 K Graphite: 3800 K degrees Kelvin or -272.15 degrees Celsius or degrees Celsius. The boiling point of carbon is graphite: 5100 K degrees Kelvin or -272.15 degrees Celsius or degrees Celsius.
Uses of carbon
Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe. If you have ever wondered what carbon is for , here is a list of its possible uses:
- The main use of carbon is in the form of hydrocarbons, mainly methane gas and crude oil. Crude oil is used to produce gasoline and kerosene through its distillation.
- Cellulose, a natural carbon polymer found in plants, is used in the manufacture of cotton, flax, and hemp.
- Plastics are made from synthetic carbon polymers.
- Graphite, a form of carbon, combines with clay to make the main component of pencils. Graphite is also used as an electrode in electrolysis, as it is inert (it does not react with other chemicals).
- Graphite is also used as a lubricant, as a pigment, as a molding material in glassmaking, and as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors.
- Charcoal, another form of carbon, is used in works of art and for grilling (usually on a barbecue). Activated carbon (another form of carbon) is used as an absorbent or adsorbent in many filters. These include gas masks, water purifiers, and range hoods. It can also be used in medicine to eliminate toxins, gases or poisons from the digestive system, for example in stomach washes.
- Diamond is another form of carbon used in jewelry. Industrial diamonds are used to drill, cut or polish metals and stone.
- Carbon, in the form of coke, is used to reduce iron ore to iron metal.
- When combined with silicon , tungsten, boron, and titanium , carbon forms some of the hardest known compounds. These are used as abrasives in cutting and grinding tools.
Atomic properties of carbon
The atomic mass of an element is determined by the total mass of neutrons and protons that can be found in a single atom belonging to this element. As for the position where to find carbon within the periodic table of the elements, carbon is in group 14 and period 2. Carbon has an atomic mass of 12.0107 u.
The electronic configuration of carbon is [He] 2s22p2. The electronic configuration of the elements, determines the form in which the electrons are structured in the atoms of an element. The mean radius of carbon is 70 pm, its atomic radius or Bohr radius is 67 pm, its covalent radius is 77 pm, and its Van der Waals radius is 170 pm. Carbon has a total of 6 electrons whose distribution is as follows: In the first layer it has 2 electrons and in the second it has 4 electrons.
You Can Visit Our Managed: Periodic Table Main Page
Carbon characteristics
Below you can see a table where the main characteristics of carbon are shown.
Carbon | ||
---|---|---|
Chemical symbol | C | |
Atomic number | 6 | |
Group | 14 | |
Period | 2 | |
Appearance | black (graphite) or colorless (diamond) | |
Block | p | |
Density | 2267 kg / m3 | |
Atomic mass | 12.0107 u | |
Average radius | 70 pm | |
Atomic radio | 67 | |
Covalent radius | 77 pm | |
Van der Waals radio | 170 pm | |
Electronic configuration | [He] 2s22p2 | |
Electrons per layer | 2, 4 | |
Oxidation states | 4, 2 | |
Oxide | weak acid | |
Crystal structure | hexagonal | |
State | solid | |
Melting point | diamond: 3823 K Graphite: 3800 KK | |
Boiling point | graphite: 5100 KK | |
Heat of fusion | graphite; sublime: 105 kJ / mol kJ / mol | |
Electronegativity | 2.55 | |
Specific heat | 710 J / (K · kg) | |
Electric conductivity | 61 × 103S / m | |
Thermal conductivity | 129 W / (Km) |
You Can Visit Our Managed: Periodic Table Main Page