Carbon (C)
Carbon is the basis of all known life and can form more compounds than any other element.
Properties of Carbon
- Atomic number
- 6
- Category
- Nonmetal
- Atomic mass
- 12.011 u
- Electron configuration
- [He] 2s² 2p²
- Melting point
- 3823 K (3549.85 °C)
- Boiling point
- 4098 K (3824.85 °C)
- Density
- 2.267 g/cm³
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 2.55
- Appearance
- Black (graphite) or clear (diamond)
- Discovered by
- Ancient Egyptians
Facts about Carbon
- Diamonds and pencil lead are both made of carbon — just arranged differently!
- Every living thing on Earth contains carbon!
- Carbon can form nearly 10 million different compounds!
- A single sheet of carbon atoms is called graphene, and it's the strongest material ever tested!