Carbon (symbol C, atomic number 6) is the backbone of all known life, appearing as graphite, diamond, and graphene. It is classified as a reactive nonmetal and sits in group 14, period 2 of the periodic table.
Overview
Carbon is the chemical element with atomic number 6 and the symbol C. With a standard atomic weight of 12.011, it is a reactive nonmetal. In the periodic table it occupies group 14 and period 2, and under standard conditions it is normally a solid. Carbon is the backbone of all known life, appearing as graphite, diamond, and graphene.
Atomic structure
An atom of Carbon has 6 protons in its nucleus and, when neutral, 6 electrons arranged in the configuration [He] 2s2 2p2. Its standard atomic weight of 12.011 reflects the natural mix of its stable isotopes.
Discovery and place in the table
Carbon has been known since antiquity. It follows Boron (B) and precedes Nitrogen (N) in order of atomic number.
| Atomic number | 6 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | C |
| Atomic mass | 12.011 |
| Category | Reactive nonmetal |
| Group | 14 |
| Period | 2 |
| Electron configuration | [He] 2s2 2p2 |
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Discovered | Antiquity |