Carbon is the ubiquitous element. Art, beauty, science and health pivot around the life force of carbon. Here's the nature of carbon, its immense importance to life; carbon black, and why burnt toast should not be eaten.
About Carbon
Carbon (C), with the atomic number 6, is the basis of organic chemistry and a requisite for life on Earth. It exists in various forms, from graphite to diamonds to the bodies of plants, animals, and single-celled microbes.
A non-metallic, chemical element, carbon is the fourth most abundant in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. Known for a remarkable ability to bond, it forms compounds vital for life.
Carbon can exist in allotropes including diamond, graphite (archaic: black lead), and fullerenes. A fullerene is a large spherical molecule made of a hollow cage of atoms. Each form has unique physical properties and uses.
Importance of Carbon in Life
Life as we know it hinges on the essence of carbon. It's the backbone of essential molecules like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. The interplay of carbon atoms forms the foundation of all life forms, defining their structure, function and existence.
The unique tetravalency of carbon, meaning it can form four covalent bonds with other atoms, presents a diversity of chemical structures. This ability makes carbon-based life forms so varied and adaptable to different environments.
Carbon is a large part of the body. About 18.5% of an adult human's weight is carbon, primarily in the form of organic compounds in cells. This makes carbon a key component in the molecules of tissues, DNA and metabolic pathways, important to human functions.
All Life Forms Are Carbon-Based
Carbon forms the core framework of all organic compounds, constituting the fundamental basis of life. Currently, all known life forms on Earth are carbon-based, relying on carbon's chemistry to form the molecules essential for life.
While silicon has often been proposed as an alternative foundation for life, it lacks the vast range of versatile bonding configurations shown by carbon. Carbon's ability to create stable, complex molecules fosters the diversity of life forms today.
Where to Find Carbon
Carbon is omnipresent in the surroundings, in air and food. It resides in plants, animals, soil, oceans and the atmosphere, circulating in perpetual cycles. Carbon is everywhere on Earth, in various forms across different environments.
It exists in the atmosphere primarily as carbon dioxide (CO2) and exists in natural deposits as fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Carbon compounds abound in living organisms, soil and the ocean, where dissolved carbon influences the chemistry of aquatic ecosystems.
It's found in soot, hardware nails as carbon steel, and burnt toast. The "char" on foods is carbon. Charred food also contains possible carcinogens which form when the food burns.
These are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, or compounds with several hexagonal “benzene rings” fused together) such as naphthalene and benzopyrene; and heterocyclic amines (HCAs).
The benzene ring is visualized by its founder Friedrich August Kekulé in 1865. He dreams of an ouroboros, an alchemical symbol of a snake or snake-like dragon with its tail in its mouth to form a ring. This cracks to the code to the structure of benzene molecules.
However while it makes a good story, the formation of these invisible compounds in burnt food are more than a carbon black coating. Most recent cancer research says it's best to avoid eating the burn.
Beauty Treatments Containing Carbon
Known as a "Hollywood Facial" or a "China Doll" treatment, a carbon laser facial is said to diminish visibility of blemishes, imperfections, fine lines and wrinkles while allegedly enhancing skin firmness and overall appearance. As usual intensive marketing and junk science drive the trend.
Side effects include:
Skin redness.
Swelling.
Mild discomfort.
Dryness or flaking.
Temporary hyperpigmentation.
Increased sensitivity to sunlight.
Temporary darkening or lightening of the skin.
Use of charcoal in wound care dates to 1857. Dermatologic uses of charcoal include dressings to prevent odors from wounds, for reduction of uremic itch, and dressings to manage skin graft wound infections.
Soot is historically used mixed with binders such as wax, grease or resins like gum arabic, as body paint and eye liner. It's also the main ingredient in prison tattoos.
Using Carbon as Ink or Pigment
Carbon is popular in inks and pigments. Carbon black, a substance made of fine carbon particles, is commonly used in printing inks, coatings, and plastics due to its deep black color and excellent UV protection.
The artistic mastery of carbon-based pigments dates back to prehistory, with black carbon derived from charcoal or soot being used in cave paintings and for cosmetic purposes. The deep, rich hues derived from carbon-based materials add depth and character to artworks.
Artists can use soot as a paint pigment. Soot, a powdery mass of black particles, is impure carbon. With a binder such as gum arabic it makes ink and paint. Soot is a popular medium before electricity in the late 19th century as a product of burning wood, oil, coal or wax.
What is Carbon Black?
The terms carbon black and soot are often used interchangeably. Carbon black is physically and chemically distinct from soot, manufactured and used in various industries from rubber manufacturing to ink production.
Its unique properties such as high tinting strength and UV protection make it an invaluable component in various commercial products. Carbon black is used as a reinforcing filler in products such as tires, and as a pigment.
Facts About Carbon
Carbon forms the basis of all known life on Earth, making it fundamental to biological chemistry.
The world’s largest reservoir of carbon is found in sedimentary rocks, primarily in the form of fossil fuels.
Carbon can create more compounds than any other element, exceeding the combined number of compounds formed by all other elements.
The discovery of fullerenes—spherical carbon molecules—expands understanding of carbon allotropes and potential applications in nanotechnology.
Carbon is capable of forming single, double, and triple bonds, leading to an immense variety of organic compounds and structures.
Diamonds, composed of pure carbon, are the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth. They are however brittle, and hitting them with a hammer can shatter them.
Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, exhibits exceptional strength and conductivity.
Carbon dating, a technique based on the decay of radioactive carbon isotopes, is used to estimate the age of archaeological artifacts and fossils.
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