Quick answerCarbon (C) is a nonmetal with atomic number 6 and an atomic mass of 12.011 (2023), in group 14, period 2. It has been known since ancient times. It is used for steel production and graphite electrodes and pencils. Its electron configuration is [He] 2s2 2p2.
Carbon is the backbone of all known life, every protein, sugar, and strand of DNA is built on carbon chains. It also comes in dramatically different forms: soft graphite in pencils, the hardest natural material in diamonds, and the ultra-strong sheets of graphene. Industry burns it as fuel, buries it as steel's key ingredient, and now captures it to fight climate change.
Key facts
| Symbol | C |
|---|---|
| Atomic number | 6 |
| Atomic mass | 12.011 (IUPAC standard atomic weight, 2023) |
| Category | nonmetal |
| Group | 14 |
| Period | 2 |
| Block | p-block |
| Electron configuration | [He] 2s2 2p2 |
| Discovered | Known since ancient times |
| Uses | steel production, graphite electrodes and pencils, diamond cutting tools, activated carbon filtration, carbon fibre composites |
Overview
Carbon is the element on which all known life is built. It has atomic number 6, an atomic mass of 12.011, and the electron configuration [He] 2s2 2p2, with four outer electrons that let it form more compounds than any other element. It sits in group 14, period 2 of the periodic table. Carbon has been known since ancient times, in charcoal, soot and diamond, and no single discoverer is credited with it. What makes carbon remarkable is how differently its atoms can link up. In graphite, the soft grey stuff in pencils, the atoms form slippery sheets; in diamond they lock into a rigid crystal, the hardest natural material known; in graphene they form a single sheet one atom thick, stronger than steel and an excellent conductor. Every protein, sugar, fat and strand of DNA is built on chains of carbon atoms, and the carbon cycle moves carbon between the air, the oceans, rocks and living things. Industry burns carbon-rich coal, oil and gas for energy, turns carbon into steel, and uses it for graphite electrodes, diamond cutting tools, activated carbon filters and carbon fibre composites. Burning fossil fuels has raised carbon dioxide in the air, so capturing and storing carbon is now a major effort against climate change.
Frequently asked questions
What is carbon used for?
Carbon is used in steel production, where it hardens iron, and in graphite electrodes, pencils and diamond cutting tools. Activated carbon filters purify water and air, and carbon fibre composites make light, strong parts for aircraft and sports equipment. Coal, oil and gas, all rich in carbon, are also burned for energy.
What is the symbol for carbon?
The chemical symbol for carbon is C, from its Latin name carbo, meaning charcoal. It has atomic number 6 and a standard atomic mass of 12.011, and it sits in group 14 and period 2 of the periodic table. Carbon has been known since ancient times, so no single person is credited with discovering it.
What is the atomic number of carbon?
Carbon has atomic number 6, so it is the sixth element in the periodic table. Its atom holds six protons and six electrons, and its standard atomic mass is 12.011. It is a nonmetal in group 14 and period 2, with the electron configuration [He] 2s2 2p2, giving it four outer electrons that form many bonds.
Is carbon a metal?
No, carbon is a nonmetal. It is in group 14 of the periodic table and forms covalent bonds rather than the metallic bonds of metals. Its best-known forms are graphite, diamond and graphene, none of which looks or behaves like a metal, although graphite and graphene do conduct electricity well.
Is diamond made of carbon?
Yes, diamond is pure carbon. Its atoms are locked into a rigid crystal structure that makes it the hardest natural material known. Graphite, the soft grey material in pencils, is also pure carbon, but its atoms are arranged in slippery sheets instead. The two look nothing alike, yet they are the same element.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Periodic table — all 118 elements
- Hydrogen (H) — another nonmetal, atomic number 1
- Nitrogen (N) — another nonmetal, atomic number 7
- Oxygen (O) — another nonmetal, atomic number 8
- Phosphorus (P) — another nonmetal, atomic number 15
- Sulfur (S) — another nonmetal, atomic number 16
- Selenium (Se) — another nonmetal, atomic number 34
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.