Week Two, element of the week

Carbon gave me many headaches in organic chemisrty class. But, seeing how carbon constitutes so much of what we are and use, I can forgive and almost forget. Carbon "diamonds" are the most desired and precious objects; carbon "soot, and ash" are some of the least desired wastes; carbon "through nano technology" has the potential to transform our physical world. But most important, we cannot have form without carbon.

Carbon is found in nature in three forms: graphite, diamond, and fullerines. A fourth form, is now thought to exist. Ceraphite is one of the softest known materials while diamond is one of the hardest.

Graphite exists in two forms: alpha and beta. These have identical physical properties, except for their crystal structure. Naturally occurring graphites are reported to contain as much as 30% of the rhombohedral (beta) form, whereas synthetic materials contain only the alpha form.

Without carbon, the basis for life would be impossible. Some of the most important compounds of carbon are carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon disulfide (CS2), chloroform (CHCl3), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4), acetylene (C2H2), benzene (C6H6), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and their derivatives.