The History of Carbon
I.Introduction
A.The History of Carbon
II.Occurrences in Nature
A.Diamond
B.Graphite
C.Coal and Charcoal
D.Amorphous Carbon
III.Carbon Compounds
A.Inorganic
B.Organic
IV.The Carbon Cycle
IV.Conclusion
Carbon, an element discovered before history itself, is one of the most
abundant elements in the universe. It can be found in the sun, the stars,
comets, and the atmospheres of most planets. There are close to ten million
known carbon compounds, many thousands of which are vital to the basis of life
itself (WWW 1).
Carbon occurs in many forms in nature. One of its purest forms is diamond.
Diamond is the hardest substance known on earth. Although diamonds found in
nature are colorless and transparent, when combined with other elements its
color can range from pastels to black. Diamond is a poor conductor of heat and
electricity. Until 1955 the only sources of diamond were found in deposits of
volcanic origin. Since then scientists have found ways to make diamond from
graphite and other synthetic materials. Diamonds of true gem quality are not
made in this way (Beggott 3-4).
Graphite is another form of carbon. It occurs as a mineral in nature, but it
can be made artificially from amorphous carbon. One of the main uses for
graphite is for its lubricating qualities. Another is for the “lead” in pencils.
Graphite is used as a heat resistant material and an electricity conductor. It
is also used in nuclear reactors as a lubricator (Kinoshita 119-127).
Amorphous carbon is a deep black powder that occurs in nature as a component of
coal. It may be obtained artificially from almost any organic substance by
heating the substance to very high temperatures without air. Using this method,
coke is produced from coal, and charcoal is produced from wood. Amorphous
carbon is the most reactive form of carbon. Because amorphous carbon burns
easily in air, it is used as a combustion fuel. The most important uses for
amorphous carbon are as a filler for rubber and as a black pigment in paint (WWW
2).
There are two kinds of carbon compounds. The first is inorganic. Inorganic
compounds are binary compounds of carbon with metals or metal carbides. They
have properties ranging from reactive and saltlike; found in metals such as
sodium, magnesium, and aluminum, to an unreactive and metallic, such as titanium
and niobium (Beggott 4).
Carbon compounds containing nonmetals are usually gases or liquids with low
boiling points. Carbon monoxide, a gas, is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.
It forms during the incomplete combustion of carbon (Kinoshita 215-223). It is
highly toxic to animals because it inhibits the transport of oxygen in the blood
by hemoglobin (WWW 2). Carbon dioxide is a colorless, almost odorless gas that
is formed by the combustion of carbon. It is a product that results from
respiration in most living organisms and is used by plants as a source of carbon.
Frozen carbon dioxide, known as dry ice, is used as a refrigerant.
Fluorocarbons, such as Freon, are used as refrigerants (Kinoshita 225-226).
Organic compounds are those compounds that occur in nature. The simplest
organic compounds consist of only carbon and hydrogen, the hydrocarbons. The
state of matter for organic compounds depends on how many carbons are contained
in it. If a compound has up to four carbons it is a gas, if it has up to 20
carbons it is a liquid, and if it has more than 20 carbons it is a solid
(Kinoshita 230-237).
The carbon cycle is the system of biological and chemical processes that make
carbon available to living things for use in tissue building and energy release
(Kinoshita 242). All living cells are composed of proteins consisting of carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen in various combinations, and each living organism
puts these elements together according to its own genetic code. To do this the
organism must have these available in special compounds built around carbon.
These special compounds are produced only by plants, by the process of
photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process in which chlorophyll traps and uses
energy from the sun in the form of light. Six molecules of carbon dioxide
combine with six molecules of water to form one molecule of glucose (sugar).
The glucose molecule consists of six atoms of carbon, twelve of hydrogen, and
six of oxygen. Six oxygen molecules, consisting of two oxygen atoms each, are
also produced and are discharged into the atmosphere unless the plant needs
energy to live. In that case, the oxygen combines with the glucose immediately,
releasing six molecules of carbon dioxide and six of water for each molecule of
glucose (Beggott 25-32). The carbon cycle is then completed as the plant
obtains the energy that was stored by the glucose. The length of time required
to complete the cycle varies. In plants without an immediate need for energy,
the chemical processes continue in a variety of ways. By reducing the hydrogen
and oxygen content of most of the sugar molecules by one water molecule and
combining them to form large molecules, plants produce substances such as starch,
inulin , and fats and store them for future use. Regardless of whether the
stored food is used later by the plant or consumed by some other organism, the
molecules will ultimately be digested and oxidized, and carbon dioxide and water
will be discharged. Other molecules of sugar undergo a series of chemical
changes and are finally combined with nitrogen compounds to form protein
substances, which are then used to build tissues (WWW 2).
Although protein substances may pass from organism to organism, eventually
these too are oxidized and form carbon dioxide and water as cells wear out and
are broken down, or as the organisms die. In either case, a new set of
organisms, ranging from fungi to the large scavengers, use the waste products or
tissues for food, digesting and oxidizing the substances for energy release (WWW
1).
At various times in the Earth’s history, some plant and animal tissues have
been protected by erosion and sedimentation from the natural agents of
decomposition and converted into substances such as peat, lignite, petroleum,
and coal. The carbon cycle, temporarily interrupted in this manner, is
completed as fuels are burned, and carbon dioxide and water are again added to
the atmosphere for reuse by living things, and the solar energy stored by
photosynthesis ages ago is released (Kinoshita 273-275).
Almost everything around us today has some connection with carbon or a carbon
compound. Carbon is in every living organism. Without carbon life would not
exist as we know it.
Works Cited
1.Beggott, Jim Great Balls of Carbon New Scientist, July 6, 1991
2.Kinoshita, Kim Carbon Compounds Random, New York 119-275
1987
3.WWW Carbon usc.edu/chem/carbon.html 1995
4. WWW Carbon Compounds harvard.edu/depts/chem/carbon.html
1995
Другие работы по теме:
Art History Essay Research Paper M
Art History Essay, Research Paper ?M & M ? s? When I entered in the gym, the outside morning quiet, softly blowing breeze stopped and the screams of go Phillips was
American History X Essay Research Paper This
American History X Essay, Research Paper This movie was a very intense movie. The message that it was trying to send was very powerful and it hit me fairly hard. The message that this movie was trying to send to me was that society as a whole does not have the maturity and inteligence to deal with subjects such as racism and hate.
Global Warming Essay Research Paper Like the
Global Warming Essay, Research Paper Like the glass in a greenhouse, certain gases that occur naturally in the atmosphere tend to trap the sun’s heat. This natural "greenhouse
ROTC Entrence Essay Essay Research Paper entrance
ROTC Entrence Essay Essay, Research Paper entrance essay For almost as long as I cn remember, I have been interested in th military. Influenced by such movies as “Patton”, and by my dad’s interest in military history, my
Jeruselem Essay Research Paper Ariel David What
Jeruselem Essay, Research Paper Ariel, David. What do Jews Beleive. New york: Schocken Books, 1995. 8 Dec. 2000 . World history. D, G -. Torah. Egypt: G-D, 1515. 1 Jan. 1000 . The holy book.
Important Chemical Elements Essay Research Paper I
Important Chemical Elements Essay, Research Paper I believe that the three most important elements that exist are nitrogen, carbon and oxygen. Nitrogen is extremely valuable because it is such a large part of the food web. Carbon is important because it is also part of the food web due to the fact that it plays such an important role in the structure of all living things and many nonliving things.
Oxygen And Carbon Dioxide Essay Research Paper
OXYGEN (O)Oxygen was discovered by a British chemist, Joseph Priestly in 1774, and independantly by Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Sweedish chemist. Oxygen has many uses – it is used in welding torches, to assist in hospital patient’s breathing and in metal fabrication industries. Oxygen is also used for defense purposes as a propellant for guided misiles and rocketsCARBON DIOXIDE (CO2).Carbon dioxide was named ‘fixed air’ by a Scottish chemist, Joseph Black.
St Elizabeth Essay Research Paper I chose
St. Elizabeth Essay, Research Paper I chose the name Elizabeth for my confirmation name after Saint Elizabeth. I feel that she is a very important part in history.
Comets Essay Research Paper Comets have been
Comets Essay, Research Paper Comets have been witnessed ever since man has been speculating about objects in the nighttime sky and appear in records from the beginning of recorded civilization (Schweighauser 20). Comets are made up of four distinct features. The first is the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of frozen gases, mostly water vapor with lesser amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, and imbedded in the frozen gases are interplanetary dust and tiny fragments of stony and metallic meteoric material.
Carbon
– The King Of Elements Essay, Research Paper When you look at the periodic table, you see a lot of letters, some numbers, different colors, and areas divided into rows and sections. There is one element on the periodic
Haymarket Bomb Essay Research Paper Car PollutionDriving
Haymarket Bomb Essay, Research Paper Car Pollution Driving a car is the most polluting act an average citizen commits. Emissions from cars is going up in Canada and the US despite attempts to make engines more fuel-efficient. The main reason is that cars are getting bigger and pick-up trucks and sport/utility vehicles replacing smaller, lighter cars.
Ertwr Essay Research Paper Oxygenpoor blood from
Ertwr Essay, Research Paper Oxygen-poor blood from the body flows down through the RIGHT ATRIUM to fill the RIGHT VENTRICLE which pumps the blood out through the PULMONARY ARTERY to the lungs.
The Element Iron Essay Research Paper Iron
The Element Iron Essay, Research Paper Iron comes from the Latin word ferrum. From ferrum its symbol became Fe. The atomic number of iron is 26, and its atomic weight is 55.845. Iron is a magnetic, bendable, shiny white metallic element.
Silent Killer 2 Essay Research Paper The
Silent Killer 2 Essay, Research Paper The Invisible Killer Nearly three hundred people in the United States alone, die from the poisonous gas called carbon monoxide every year. Several thousand others go to hospital emergency rooms for treatment of this serious adverse dormant gas every year as well (CSPC 466).
Bicarbonate A Good Buffer For Blood Essay
, Research Paper Bicarbonate: A good buffer for blood Most carbon dioxide generated during metabolism is transported in the form of bicarbonate ions, which result from the dissociation of carbonic acid formed in the red blood cells from the chemical union of carbon dioxide and water. Hydrogen ions from the dissociation are bound to hemoglobin and other proteins, serving to buffer the blood.
Defintition Of History Essay Research Paper The
Defintition Of History Essay, Research Paper The statement ? History is nothing more than a collection of the static facts of the past; people who say history changes are terribly misguided? is incorrect. History is more than just static facts when ideas and concepts involved in history are understood and applied in life.
Carbon Dioxide Essay Research Paper Carbon DioxideRespiratory
Carbon Dioxide Essay, Research Paper Carbon Dioxide Respiratory gases-oxygen and carbon dioxide moves between air and blood in the lungs. The structure of the human lung provides immense internal surface that facilitates gas exchange between the alveoli and the blood in the pulmonary capillaries.
Carbon Dioxide Essay Research Paper Carbon is
Carbon Dioxide Essay, Research Paper Carbon is the basis for all life on earth. This essay will explain the role of carbon dioxide in v arious parts of the carbon cycle. This essay will examin three main, and
Carbon Dioxide Essay Research Paper CARBON DIOXIDECarbon
Carbon Dioxide Essay, Research Paper CARBON DIOXIDE Carbon dioxide is a gas comprising less than 0.04 % of the atmosphere.It is used by plants to make, directly or indirectly, all of the food that we eat.Increases in the concentration of carbon dioxide generally increase the growthrate of plants and decrease their water use.
Fossil Fuels Essay Research Paper We get
Fossil Fuels Essay, Research Paper We get energy from sunlight, wind, nuclear plants, and damns However, most of the energy that we use comes from fossil fuels. There are three major fossil fuels: Coal, oil and natural gas. These are composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. Carbon is the major element in fossil fuels.
Growth In Writing Essay Research Paper Emily
Growth In Writing Essay, Research Paper Emily Gillette DVWR 101.004 Professor Bull September 22,2000 Growth in Writing Writing is one of my favorite things to do. Expressing yourself is so much easier when given time to think about what needs to be said. I would like to believe that I have a very rich writing history.
Carbon Dioxide Essay Research Paper Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide Essay, Research Paper Carbon Dioxide is an unreactive, colourless, odourless gas that occurs in small quantities in the earth’s atmosphere naturally. The earth’s ocean, soil, plants and animals release CO2. The formula of Carbon Dioxide is CO2. The CO2 molecule contains 2 oxygen atoms that each share 2 electrons with a carbon atom to form 2 carbon – oxygen double bonds.
Cellular Respiration Essay Research Paper Cellular respiration
Cellular Respiration Essay, Research Paper Cellular respiration begins with glucose. Glucose is the primary fuel used in glycolysis, the first stage of cellular respiration. This molecule is found in the gel-like substance called cytoplasm that fills the cell. In glycolysis, glucose undergoes phosphorylation by ATP.
Organic Chemistry Essay Research Paper Organic compounds
Organic Chemistry Essay, Research Paper Organic compounds are all different but they all share a similar characteristic. To start all organic compounds have carbon in their formulas; this is the main characteristic all organic compounds share. Next, some organic compounds are made up with a single covalent bond.
Supporting Big Bang Essay Research Paper Science
Supporting Big Bang Essay, Research Paper Science has hypothesized that the universe was created by a big bang. By researching stars and fossil records scientists have claimed that the earth is much older than it is said to be in the creation theory. The creation theory says that the universe is only several thousand years old, but carbon dating has shown that fossils on earth are millions of years old thus disproving part of the creation theory with evidence.
Untitled Essay Research Paper The history of
Untitled Essay, Research Paper The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of the world.The history of
Is Carbon Dating Accurate Essay Research Paper
Is carbon dating accurate? Carbon dating, used since 1948, is currently the main method of testing artifacts for age. My objective through this essay is to disprove the accuracy of the Carbon 14 dating method.
Dna Structure Essay Research Paper DNA Structure
Dna Structure Essay, Research Paper DNA Structure DNA is a double stranded molecule twisted into a helix. Each spiraling strand is comprised of a sugar phosphate backbone and attached bases connected to a complimentary strand. The complimentary strand is connected by non-covalent hydrogen bonding between paired bases.