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Chemistry of the Stars
Carbon is Amazing!
Carbon is an amazing element. It can bond with itself and many other elements to produce over 10 000 000 compounds. Many of these compounds are essential for life.
If you just think of substances containing only Carbon atoms there are three main forms.
- Graphite - This is the "lead" in pencils and is also used to make lightweight sports equipment like tennis rackets
- Diamond - A girls best friend? Diamond of course is used to make jewelry and cutting tools.
- Buckminster Fullerene (Bucky Ball) - This form was discovered by Harry Kroto amongst others and is named after Buckminster Fuller, the architect who first suggested the structure. Each molecule is made up of 60 carbon atoms joined in the shape of a football!
Graphite, Diamond and Buckminster Fullerene
If you imagine taking the Buckminster Fullerene molecule and stretching it into a tube, this would make a Carbon Nanotube. Chemists at the moment are working on these as they have many properties which might be useful in the future. At the moment, they are one of the strongest materials known.
Next - Carbon Dioxide
Previous - Our Celebrity for Nitrogen
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