This document discusses carbon chemistry and the forms and bonding of carbon. It notes that carbon is the foundation of life and many materials due to its ability to form strong covalent bonds. Carbon can exist in several allotropes including graphite, diamonds, fullerenes, and amorphous forms. Hydrocarbons are organic compounds made of carbon and hydrogen that can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated hydrocarbons contain only single bonds while unsaturated ones contain double or triple bonds. Naming hydrocarbon compounds involves identifying the parent chain and any substituents or functional groups.