Carbon
Carbon, the sixth element, has an atomic mass of 12.011 amu, electron levels of
2-4, and valences of +4, 3, and 2, as well as -4 and 2. Carbon is a member of
group 4A and was known to ancients. Graphite has a density of 2.26 g/cm3, and
diamond has a density of 3.3 g/cm3. C melts at 3825 K, and boils
at 5100 K. Graphite sublimes at 3367.25 degrees Celcius. C is essential to all life, as
organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds. C is abundantly found in the sun, stars, and comets. Graphite,
an allotrope of C, is one of the softest known materials while diamond, another allotrope, is
one of the hardest. Carbon forms an enormous number of compounds, with a great variety
of properties. Carbon has seven isotopes, and carbon 12 is the basis for atomic weights. Carbon 14 is radioactive,
with a half-life of 5730 years, and this is detected in "carbon dating."
C's electron configuration is 1s22s2p2.
C's electronegativity is 2.55.
June 20, 1997, updated August 7, 1998
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