Properties of Carbon

1. Chapter 8 Sec. 1
Properties of Carbon

2. • Because of its unique ability to
combine in many ways with
itself and other elements.
– Four valence electrons
– Makes it possible to arrange the
same number of atoms many
different ways
• Why does carbon
play a central
role in the
chemistry of
living organisms?

3. Carbon Atoms and Bonding
• Because of its unique ability to combine in
many ways with itself and other elements,
carbon has a central role in the chemistry of
living organisms.
– All living things contain carbon is some form
– Forms proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and
carbohydrates
– Four valence electrons

4. Forms of Pure Carbon
• Diamonds
• Graphite
• Fullerenes
• Nanotubes

5. Diamonds
• A crystalline form of carbon in which each
carbon atoms is bonded strongly to four other
carbon atoms. Hard and nonreactive (3,500o C)

6. Graphite
• Each carbon atom is bonded tightly to three
other carbon atoms in flat layers.
– Slippery used as a lubricant

7. Fullerenes
• Carbon atoms arranged in the shape of a
hollow sphere, “buckyballs”

8. Nanotubes
• Carbon atoms are arranged in the shape of
long, hollow cylinder, something like a sheet
of graphite rolled into a tube.
– Only a few nanometers wide
– Nanotubes are members of the fullerene
structural family. Their name is derived from their
long, hollow structure with the walls formed by
one-atom-thick sheets of carbon, called graphene.

9. • Diamond: crystalline form of carbon
in which each C atom is bonded to 4
other C atoms.
• Graphite: each C atom is bonded
tightly to 3 other C in flat layers. Bond
between layers is weak.
• Fullerenes: C atom arranged in the
shape of a geodesic dome
• Nanotube: C atoms are arranged in
the shape of a long, hollow cylinder
• What are four
forms of pure
carbon?