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Carbon Facts

  • Carbon is a basic building block of all known life on Earth. It is present in all known life forms. Without carbon, the basis for life would be impossible.
  • Carbon is the fourth most abundant chemical element (by mass) in the universe, after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen.
  • Carbon is abundant in the Sun, stars, comets, and in the atmospheres of most planets.
  • Carbon is the second most abundant element (by mass) in the human body (18.5%), after oxygen.
  • The amount of carbon on Earth is constant. It merely combines with other elements and moves from one reservoir to another.
  • Carbon has many industrial uses for its three forms; amorphous, diamond, and graphite. The amorphous form (coal) is used in power plants and is used in the iron industry to make steel. The diamond form is used as jewelry and is used as part of cutting tools. The graphite form is a great conductor and is used for pencils and sports equipment.
  • Carbon is a component of great rock masses in the form of carbonates of calcium (limestone), magnesium, and iron.
  • In combination with oxygen in carbon dioxide, carbon is found in the Earth's atmosphere and dissolved in all water bodies.
  • When combined with hydrogen to form hydrocarbons, carbon is the basis for most of our energy sources, including coal, oil, petroleum, and natural gas.