subject: History of carbon;the element that forms maximum no. of compounds [print this page] History of carbon;the element that forms maximum no. of compounds
History of carbon
Carbon is one of the elements of great interest and importance. Its compounds are uncountable. It forms the basis of life. Carbohydrates, proteins, fats etc. are all compounds of carbon.
Carbon shows catenation, a property by which it can form chains. This property allows it to form the largest no. of compounds.
What is carbon basically?
It is an element with atomic no. 6 and mass no. 12 for its normal isotope and 14 for its radioactive isotope. It has 6 electrons, 6protons and 6 or 8 neutrons.
Origin of carbon
Burning organic compounds like kerosene yield carbon which is commonly called soot. It first originated by nuclear fusion in stars. All organic compounds and some inorganic compounds like carbonates, bicarbonates, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide contain carbon in the combined state.
Allotropy
It is the property by which an element occurs in different physical forms. The crystalline allotropes are diamond and graphite. Fullerene is a synthetic crystalline allotrope having atomicity 60.Among amorphous allotropes number lamp black or soot, gas carbon, coal etc. Coal is used as a fuel. Coke acts as a reducing agent in metallurgy. Water gas, producer gas contain CO and act as fuel. Diamond has a tetrahedral structure while graphite has a hexagonal layered structure having weak interplate bonds making it a good lubricant.
Chemical reactivity
Graphite is thermodynamically the most stable allotrope. Diamond is unreactive in nature. Graphite is produced by thermal decomposition of SiC. Diamond dissolves in molten Fe. Coke is a very good reducing agent and is used to reduce heated metal oxides to metals. CO is also a reducing agent.
Some reactions involving carbon
C+O2 CO2
2C+O22CO
ZnO+C Zn+CO
Fe2O3+3C 2Fe+3CO
CuCO3 CuO+CO2
Uses of carbon
Diamond is the hardest substance. It scratches glass and is used for its cutting. Graphite is used as a lubricant. Lampblack is used to make shoe polish and printers ink. Coke is used as a reducing agent. Ethyne and oxygen produce high temperature flames. C14 is used to estimate the age of old objects by Radio Carbon Dating.Compounds like methane,butane are commonly used as fuels.
