Carbon and its Importance

Very small amounts of carbon are found in the earth's crust as a free element. It is present in almost one million known compounds. One of the unique properties of carbon is that its atoms combine with each other to form compounds with a long ring.

Allotropic Forms of Carbon:

Carbon exists in three different forms with different physical properties. When an element is found in more than one physical form in the same state is called allotropy and such physical forms are called allotropic forms. Diamond, graphite and bucky balls are allotropic forms of carbon. These allotropic shapes have various physical properties such as appearance and density, but they are same element and have same chemical properties.

Diamond:

It is a colorless, transparent, and crystalline form of carbon found in earth under great heat and pressure. It is one of the hardest substances known, which is why it is used for tipping drill bits into stone, when cutting glass, when polishing other precious stones.

Graphite:

It is the second crystalline form of carbon found in nature or made from coal by heating in an electric furnace. It is a soft black solid that has a glossy and greasy feel. It's used for the base of "lead pencils", as a lubricant and in paints.

Bucky Balls:

Bucky balls are the third known form of pure carbon naturally exist. It is used as a semiconductors, conductors and lubricants.

The Non Allotropic Forms of Carbon

Charcoal and soot are also shapes of carbon, but they do not happen naturally. They are made by heating animal bones, wood, nut shells, sugar, blood or coal in a limited amount of air. Coke is another form of carbon that is produced by heating coal to about 1300°C in the absence of heat air. Charcoal is used to absorb hazardous gases. It is also used by artists. There are wheels it is used as a fuel and as a reducing agent in various chemical industries.