Carbon

 
Carbon is one of the most common non-metal found freely.It occurs as  carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere.It is a component of plant and animal tissues  as well as most organic compounds.
Carbon is also an element showing allotropy with a crystalline form and an amorphous form.

Crystalline forms of carbon :  Diamond,Graphite
Amorphous forms              :   Charcoal,Coal,Lamp soot


Physical properties 

Physical properties of carbon  differs according to the particular allotrope.Except  diamond all other forms of carbon are black.Carbon is a non-conductor of electricity.Graphite is a  good conductor of electricity.Charcoal has a property of absorbing gases.

Chemical Properties

• Carbon is a fairly  un-reactive material.At very high temperature it combines  with oxygen,but does not react with acids,bases,or chlorine,when strongly heated combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide gas.

  

                        C(s) + O₂(g) -------->CO₂ (g)

•  Carbon reacts with calcium oxide to form the calcium carbide

.

                         2CaO(s) + 5C(s) -----> 2CaC₂(s) + CO₂(g)