Carbon (C)
Found in pencils, diamonds and every living thing, including you!
Carbon facts
- Symbol
- C
- Atomic number
- 6
- Atomic mass
- 12.011
- Family
- Nonmetals
- Period
- 2
- Group
- 14
Famous reactions with carbon
- Glowing embers! Carbon burnsCarbon dioxide C + O₂ → CO₂ · With a spark or a flame · Try it
- Almost as hard as diamond! Silicon meets CarbonSilicon carbide (carborundum) Si + C → SiC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Super strong steel! Iron meets CarbonSteel (iron with a little carbon) · When melted together · Try it
- Water gas! Carbon meets SteamCarbon monoxide + hydrogen (water gas) C + H₂O → CO + H₂ · Only with hot steam · Try it
What does carbon react with?
Carbon makes a new substance with 21 other elements and chemicals in our lab:
- Carbon + LithiumLithium carbide 2Li + 2C → Li₂C₂ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + BerylliumBeryllium carbide 2Be + C → Be₂C · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + BoronBoron carbide 4B + C → B₄C · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + FluorineCarbon tetrafluoride C + 2F₂ → CF₄ · At room temperature · Try it
- Carbon + AluminiumAluminium carbide 4Al + 3C → Al₄C₃ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + SulfurCarbon disulfide C + 2S → CS₂ · Only when heated very strongly · Try it
- Carbon + CalciumCalcium carbide Ca + 2C → CaC₂ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + TitaniumTitanium carbide Ti + C → TiC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + VanadiumVanadium carbide V + C → VC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + ChromiumChromium carbide 3Cr + 2C → Cr₃C₂ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + StrontiumStrontium carbide Sr + 2C → SrC₂ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + ZirconiumZirconium carbide Zr + C → ZrC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + NiobiumNiobium carbide Nb + C → NbC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + MolybdenumMolybdenum carbide 2Mo + C → Mo₂C · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + BariumBarium carbide Ba + 2C → BaC₂ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + LanthanumLanthanum carbide La + 2C → LaC₂ · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + HafniumHafnium carbide Hf + C → HfC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + TantalumTantalum carbide Ta + C → TaC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + TungstenTungsten carbide W + C → WC · Only in a very hot furnace · Try it
- Carbon + ThoriumThorium carbide Th + 2C → ThC₂ · Only in a special nuclear lab (it is radioactive) · Try it
- Carbon + UraniumUranium carbide U + C → UC · Only in a special nuclear lab (it is radioactive) · Try it
Nothing happens when it's simply mixed with 73 of the others. 21 pairings have never been tried, because not enough atoms have ever existed.