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Understanding the element
Carbon (C) is chemical element 6. It belongs to the nonmetals, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
Where do we encounter it?
In practice, it turns up most often in living molecules, graphite and diamond and composite materials.
living moleculesgraphite and diamondcomposite materials
Standard atomic weight[12.0096, 12.0116]
What its position in the table tells us
Carbon sits in period 2, group 14 and the P block. That location is useful because neighbouring elements often share trends in valence electrons, oxidation states and bonding behaviour.
Worth remembering
Carbon has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses
Carbon has a characteristic place in the periodic table that helps explain both its chemistry and its practical uses