Carbon

Carbon, symbol C, with atomic number of 6 and is an element in group of the periodic table. Carbon, with four electrons missing from a completed octet, can form four covalent bonds. The three forms of elemental carbon that occur naturally on earth are diamond, graphite, and amorphous carbon, The solids with extremely high melting points and are insoluble in all solvents at ordinary temperatures. The physical properties of the three forms differ widely because of the differences in crystalline structure.

1. Fuel (coal)

2. Lubricant (graphite)

3. C-14 isotope used in archaeological dating

4. the cheapest reducing agent used for metal extraction

Allotropy is the existence of an element in more than one form in the same state. Carbon is one of the elements showing this property. Diamond and graphite are the allotropes of carbon. Allotropes have different physical properties due to their different structures. However, they often have similar chemical properties.