CARBON
FUN, FAST FACTS
ATOMIC NUMBER: 6
 ATOMIC MASS: 12.01
 ATOMIC SYMBOL: C
 CLASSIFICATION: NONMETALLIC
 COLOR: BLACK, COLORLESS

ATOMIC STRUCTURE
HISTORY OF CARBON



THIS ELEMENT OF PREHISTORIC DISCOVERY IS FOUND
THROUGHOUT NATURE
FOUND IN STARS, SUN, COMETS, ATOMSPHERES
THE ENERGY OF THE SUN AND THE STARS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED
TO THE CARBON CYCLE
3 TYPES OF CARBON

CARBON CAN BE FOUND IN
THREE DIFFERENT FORMS:
– GRAPHITE
– DIAMONDS
– FULLERENE
(aka BUCKYBALLS)
CARBON AS GRAPHITE
GREAT GRAPHITE
 LAYERED ATOMIC STRUCTURE-THERFORE
PRODUCES A WEAK FORCE, AND IS EXTREMELY
BREAKABLE
 SOFT, SLIPPERY
 MOST COMMONLY USED AS PENCIL LEAD
CARBON DIAMONDS
DIAMOND DATA
DIAMONDS HAVE AN ATOMIC SHAPE THAT ENSURES A
TIGHT BOND
 EACH CARBON ATOM IS THE SAME DISTANCE FROM
ANOTHER ATOM
 DIAMONDS ARE USED FOR CUTTING HARD OBJECTS
AND FOR DECORATION (JEWELERY)

FULLERENE
-ALSO KNOWN AS THE
‘BUCKYBALL”
-RECENTLY DISCOVERED
-CONSISTS OF 60 CARBON
ATOMS
-C60
-STILL BEING RESEARCHED
“BUCKYBALL”



THIS COMPLEX MOLECULE CAN BE ALTERED WITH A SINGLE
ATOM TO CHANGE ITS PROPERTIES
NAMED AFTER ROBERT BUCKMINISTER FULLER
THIS MOLECULE HAS BEEN MAKING HEADLINES IN
NANOTECHNOLOGY AND HOW THE DRUG INDUSTRY HAS
INTEREST IN IT
COSTS OF CARBON
-AS OF 1990, CARBON-13 WAS COMMERICIALLY AVAILABLE
AT A COST OF ABOUT $700/GRAM.
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON IN THE
LITHOSPHERE


PLANTS ABSORB CARBON
DIOXIDE FROM ATMOSPHERE,
AND USE IT TO MAKE
SUBSTANCES NEEDED FOR
GROWTH
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
INCORPORATES CARBON
ATOMS FROM C02 TO SUGARS
LITHOSPHERE CONT.



ANIMALS (RABBIT) EAT PLANTS AND USE CARBON TO BUILD
TISSUES
OTHER ANIMALS (FOX) EAT RABBIT AND USE CARBON FOR OWN
NEEDS
ANIMALS RETURN C02 INTO AIR WHEN THEY BREATHE, AND
WHEN THEY DIE (BECAUSE CARBON IS RETURED TO SOIL
DURING DECOMPOSITION)
CARBON IN THE
HYDROSPHERE


C02 ABSORBED INTO BODIES
OF H20
SOME OF DISSOLVED C02
REMAINS IN WATER WHILE
SOME IS USED BY ALGAE AND
PHYTOPLANKTON THROUGH
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

MOLLUSCS (MUSSELS,
CLAMS AND OYSTERS)
MAKE SHELLS OF CALCIUM
CARBONATE FROM C02
HYDROSPHERE CONTINUED

ONCE MUSSLES DIE, SHELLS FALL TO BOTTOM WITH
HARD CALCIUM CARBONATE AND BECOMES
COMPRESSED, CEMENTED TOGETHER, AND
EVENTUALLY FOSSILISED INTO ROCKS LIKE CHALK,
LIMESTONE, AND MARBLE
CARBON IN THE
ATMOSPHERE

COMBUSTION OCCURS
WHEN ORGANIC MATERIAL
IS REACTED (BURNED) IN
PRESENCE OF OXYGEN TO
GIVE OFF C02
-DURING CONBUSTION,
OXYGEN IS USED AND
CABON DIOXIDE IS
PRODUCED PLUS WATER
SMOKESTACK

ORGANIC MATERIAL CAN BE
ANY FOSSIL FUEL SUCH AS
NATURAL GAS, (METHANE)
OIL, OR COAL
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
CARBON DIOXIDE+ WATER
(h20) -> CARBOHYDRATE+
OXYGEN
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
RESPIRATION
CARBOHYDRATE +
OXYGEN-> CARBON
DIOXIDE + OXYGEN
CALCIUM CARBONATE
CALCIUM CARBONATE->
CALCIUM OXIDE + CARBON
DIOXIDE
OIL AND COAL

WHEN TREES DIE, THEY
FALL INTO SWAMPY MUD,
WITH A LACK OF OXYGEN.
THEREFORE, NORMAL
DECOMPOSITION CANNOT
OCCUR
OIL AND COAL II


TREES BECOME FOSSILISED
(COAL IS THEN FORMED)
OIL FORMS FROM TINY
DEAD PLANTS TRAPPED AT
THE BOTTOM OF THE
OCEAN OR MURKY WATER
RELATE COAL TO CARBON

THE PROCESS IN WHICH OIL AND COAL ARE MADE, IS
RELATIVE TO THE CARBON CYCLE BECAUSE ALL LIVING
ORGANISMS AND THE PROCESSES ARE MADE UP OF
CARBON
RECAP OF CYCLES
HYDROSPHERE,
LITHOSPHERE, AND
ATMOSPHERE
AGAIN!
CARBON CYCLE, AS
EASY AS 1, 2, 3…
COMPLEX CARBON
CYCLE
WHERE THE CYCLE
BEGINS…



THE ATMOSPHERE CONTAINS CARBON
DIOXIDE
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS, PLANTS TAKE IN
CARBON, CONTINUING THE CYCLE IN THE
LITHOSPHERE
WHEN PHOTOSYNTHESIS EXCEEDS
RESPIRATION, ORGANIC MATTER BUILDS UP
TO FORM COAL AND OIL DEPOSITS
“The major exchange of carbon
between the atmosphere and the
lithosphere results from
photosynthesis and respiration”
CARBON AND
RESPIRATION


RESPIRATION IS PART OF THE PROCESS OF
THE CARBON CYCLE IN THE LITHOSPHERE
ONCE ANIMALS BREAK DOWN
CARBOHYDRATES IN PLANT TISSUES, THEY
RELEASE IT TO THE ATMOSPHERE (THE
CYCLE THEN CONINUES BACK TO THE
LITHOSPHERE OR GOES TO THE
HYDROSPHERE)
CARBON AND RESPIRATION
CONTINUED

WHEN ANIMALS RELEASE CARBON DIOXIDE
TO THE ATMOSPHERE, THEY DECOMPOSE,
DECAY, AND FROM POOLS OF ENERGY
CALLED FOSSIL FULES (INCLUDING COAL,
OIL, AND NATURAL GASES)
CARBON IN THE HYDROSPHERE
CARBON IS ABSORBED
IN THE WATER BY
PHYTOPLANKTON
TO MAKE SHELL OF
CALCIUM
CARBONATE AND
BECOME SEDIMENTS
ONCE THEY DIE
CARBON IN HYDROSPHERE CONT.

CARBON DIOXIDE EXCHANGE IS
CONTROLLED BY THE SEA SURFACE
TEMPERATURE, CIRCULATING CURRENTS,
AND THE BIOLOGICAL PROCESS OF
PHYTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION
MORE CARBON IN
HYDROSPHERE


CARBON DIOXIDE CAN DISSOVLE EASILY AND
THE AMOUNT THAT THE OCEAN CAN HOLD
DEPENDS ON THE OCEAN TEMPERATURE
AND HOW MUCH CARBON IS ALREADY IN
THE OCEAN
WHEN THE OCEAN IN COLD, MORE CARBON
IS ARBORBED, AND WHEN THE TEMP. IS
WARM, CO2 IS RELEASED TO THE SURFACE
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
CARBON DIOXIDE
CONTRIBUTES
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT


KEEPS ALL EARHT’S
HEAT FROM
ESCAPING TO THE
OUTER ATMOPSHERE
CARBON
RESPONSIBLE FOR
GREENHOUSE GASES
AND 55% OF THE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT

CARBON DIOXIDE IS
TRANSPARENT TO
LIGHT BUT OPAQUE TO
HEAT RAYS,
THEREFORE THE
ATMOSPHERE RETARDS
THE RAIATION OF
HEAT FROM THE
EARTH BACK INTO
SPACE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT