This document discusses the allotropic forms of carbon. It introduces carbon allotropes as different crystalline forms of an element. The main carbon allotropes discussed are diamond, graphite, and fullerenes. Diamond is the hardest natural material due to its covalent bonding structure. Graphite is composed of stacked graphene layers and is the most stable carbon allotrope. Fullerenes are closed-cage molecules composed entirely of carbon, such as buckyballs. The document provides examples of uses for some carbon allotropes and briefly mentions a few less common allotropes.