Contents
Key Stage 2
Meaning
Carbon is a chemical that makes diamonds and graphite.
Key Stage 3
Meaning
Carbon is a Group 4 non-metal element, on the Periodic Table, with an atomic number of 6.
About Carbon
- Carbon has the chemical symbol C.
Molecular Structure
Atomic Structure
- Carbon has 6 protons and 6 neutrons in its nucleus giving it an atomic number of 6 and a atomic mass of 12.
- Carbon is in Period 2 of the Periodic Table because it has 2 electron shells.
Properties
- Carbon is solid at room temperature.
Key Stage 4
Meaning
Carbon is a Group 4 non-metal element, on the Periodic Table with 6 protons in the nucleus.
About Carbon
- Carbon has the chemical symbol C.
Molecular Structure
- Carbon forms covalent bonds with other Carbon atoms to produce a giant covalent structure.
- Carbon is able to make long chains of atoms to produce compounds called polymers.
There are several allotropes of Carbon including:
Examples
Diamond is a giant covalent structure where each Carbon atom has 4 bonds with adjacent atoms. | Graphite has a giant covalent structure with each Carbon atom has 3 bonds with adjacent atoms in a layer with loose bonds between the layers. | Graphene has a giant covalent structure where each Carbon atom has 3 bonds with adjacent atoms forming a layer that is one atom thick. | Fullerenes have a giant covalent structure where each Carbon atom has 3 bonds with adjacent atoms forming a sphere. |
Atomic Structure
- The most common isotope of Carbon is Carbon-12 which has 6 protons and 6 neutrons in the nucleus.
- Carbon is in Period 2 of the Periodic Table because it has 2 electron shells.
- Carbon has 4 electrons in its outer shell so it can form 4 bonds with other atoms.
Properties
- Carbon is solid at room temperature.
- The different allotrope have different melting points and different electrical conductivity.
References
AQA
- Carbon, page 119, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Carbon, page 287, GCSE Physics; Student Book, Collins, AQA
- Carbon, page 34, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
- Carbon, pages 49-51, 86, 88-89, 196, 223, GCSE Chemistry; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
Edexcel
- Carbon, pages 24, 55, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Carbon, pages 71, 87, 117, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Carbon; extraction of metals, page 55, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Carbon; extraction of metals, pages 155, 156, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel
- Carbon; giant covalent structures, page 24, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Carbon; giant covalent structures, page 87, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
- Carbon; giant covalent structures, pages 62-64, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel