Carbon (C)
"The Master Architect of the Universe, Carbon is the ultimate shapeshifter, building everything from the toughest diamonds to the delicate backbone of life itself."
A memorable persona to anchor C in your mind.
2.267
Grams per cm³
3825
Celsius (°C)
170
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
It's the 'lead' in your pencil, the sparkle in a diamond ring, and the very air you breathe out.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
Ancient
Discovered By
Unknown
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Latin ‘carbo’, charcoal"
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
12.011 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
3825°C
Electron Configuration
[He] 2s22p2
1st Ionization Energy
11.26 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"It’s a chameleon! Sometimes a clear, sparkling diamond; other times a soft, greasy black powder; or even an invisible gas floating all around you."
Did You Know?
Carbon is THE undisputed king of bonding! It can form four stable chemical bonds, creating an incredible array of compounds, more than any other element.
Think of it as Earth's greatest costume designer: Carbon rocks incredibly different 'outfits' called allotropes, like super-hard diamond and super-soft graphite, all from the same element!
Got old bones or ancient artifacts? Scientists use 'Carbon-14 dating' to figure out how old they are, thanks to a specific, unstable isotope of carbon.
It's everywhere! Carbon is the 4th most abundant element in the universe by mass, making up tiny fractions of stars, planets, and even your favorite snacks.