carbon

carbon
carbonless, adj.
/kahr"beuhn/, n.
1. Chem. a widely distributed element that forms organic compounds in combination with hydrogen, oxygen, etc., and that occurs in a pure state as diamond and graphite, and in an impure state as charcoal. Symbol: C; at. wt.: 12.011; at. no.: 6; sp. gr.: (of diamond) 3.51 at 20°C; (of graphite) 2.26 at 20°C.
2. See carbon copy.
3. a sheet of carbon paper.
4. Elect.
a. the carbon rod through which current is conducted between the electrode holder and the arc in carbon arc lighting or welding.
b. the rod or plate, composed in part of carbon, used in batteries.
[1780-90; < F carbone, coinage based on L carbon- (s. of carbo) charcoal]

* * *

I
Nonmetallic chemical element, chemical symbol C, atomic number 6.

The usual stable isotope is carbon-12; carbon-13, another stable isotope, makes up 1% of natural carbon. Carbon-14 is the most stable and best known of five radioactive isotopes (see radioactivity); its half-life of approximately 5,730 years makes it useful in carbon-14 dating and radiolabeling of research compounds. Carbon occurs in four known allotropes: diamond, graphite, carbon black (amorphous carbon including coal, coke, and charcoal), and hollow cage molecules called fullerenes. Carbon forms more compounds than all other elements combined; several million carbon compounds are known. Each carbon atom forms four bonds (four single bonds, two single and one double bond, two double bonds, or one single and one triple bond) with up to four other atoms. Multitudes of chain, branched, ring, and three-dimensional structures can occur. The study of these carbon compounds and their properties and reactions is organic chemistry (see organic compound). With hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and a few other elements whose small amounts belie their important roles, carbon forms the compounds that make up all living things: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Biochemistry is the study of how those compounds are synthesized and broken down and how they associate with each other in living organisms. Organisms consume carbon and return it to the environment in the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide, produced when carbon is burned and from biological processes, makes up about 0.03% of the air, and carbon occurs in Earth's crust as carbonate rocks and the hydrocarbons in coal, petroleum, and natural gas. The oceans contain large amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide and carbonates.
II
(as used in expressions)
carbon 14 dating

* * *

      county, eastern Pennsylvania, U.S., flanked to the north by the Pocono Mountains and to the south by Blue Mountain and located midway between the cities of Wilkes-Barre and Allentown. It consists of a mountainous region lying largely in the Appalachian Ridge and Valley physiographic province. The principal waterways are the Lehigh River and Tobyhanna, Quakake, Nesquehoning, Mahoning, Lizard, and Aquashicola creeks, as well as Penn Forest and Wild Creek reservoirs. State parks include Hickory Run, Lehigh Gorge, and Beltzville, which surrounds Beltzville Lake. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail follows the ridgeline of Blue Mountain.

      Lehighton was laid out on the site of Gnadenhutten, a Moravian settlement dating from 1746 that was destroyed during the French and Indian War. Anthracite coal was discovered in the region as early as 1791, but it was not mined commercially until the early 19th century, with the introduction of canals and railroads to the area—including a gravity-powered railroad that was the first of its kind in the United States (1828). The county was created in 1843 and named for its abundant coal deposits. In 1954 Mauch Chunk merged with East Mauch Chunk to form Jim Thorpe, the county seat, in commemoration of the American Indian athlete (Thorpe, Jim); his remains were interred in a nearby mausoleum.

      The county's economy is based on health care services, textile manufacturing, and anthracite coal mining. Area 383 square miles (991 square km). Pop. (2000) 58,802; (2007 est.) 63,242.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Carbon — (), but as most compounds with multiple single bonded oxygens on a single carbon it is unstable.] Cyanide (CN–), has a similar structure, but behaves much like a halide ion (pseudohalogen). For example it can form the nitride cyanogen molecule… …   Wikipedia

  • Carbon — Car bon (k[aum]r b[o^]n), n. [F. carbone, fr. L. carbo coal; cf. Skr. [,c]r[=a] to cook.] (Chem.) 1. An elementary substance, not metallic in its nature, which is present in all organic compounds. Atomic weight 11.97. Symbol C. it is combustible …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • carbon — CARBÓN s.n. Element chimic, metaloid foarte răspândit în natură, component de bază al tuturor substanţelor organice, care se găseşte în cărbuni, în petrol, în gaze etc., iar în stare elementară în diamant, în grafit şi în cărbunele negru. ♢… …   Dicționar Român

  • Carbon — steht für: Kohlenstoff, chemisches Element Karbon, Erdzeitalter, die fünfte geochronologische Periode des Paläozoikums von vor etwa 359,2 Millionen Jahren bis vor etwa 299 Millionen Jahren Kohlenstofffaserverstärkter Kunststoff Carbon (Apple),… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Carbon E7 — Carbon Motors Bild nicht vorhanden E7 Hersteller: Carbon Motors Corporation Produktionszeitraum: ab 2013 Klasse: Streifenwagen Karosserieversionen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • carbon — UK US /ˈkɑːbən/ noun ► [U] NATURAL RESOURCES a chemical element (= simple chemical substance), which exists in all plants and animals, and is an important part of coal and oil. When carbon is burned it produces carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide …   Financial and business terms

  • carbón — (Del lat. carbo, ōnis). 1. m. Materia sólida, ligera, negra y muy combustible, que resulta de la destilación o de la combustión incompleta de la leña o de otros cuerpos orgánicos. 2. carbón de piedra. 3. Brasa o ascua después de apagada. 4.… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • carbon — [kär′bən] n. [Fr carbone < L carbo (gen. carbonis), coal < IE base * ker , to burn > HEARTH] 1. a nonmetallic chemical element found in many inorganic compounds and all organic compounds: diamond and graphite are pure carbon; carbon is… …   English World dictionary

  • Carbon — Carbon, IN U.S. town in Indiana Population (2000): 334 Housing Units (2000): 136 Land area (2000): 0.158337 sq. miles (0.410090 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.158337 sq. miles (0.410090 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • carbon — non metallic element, 1789, coined 1787 in French by Lavoisier as charbone, from L. carbo (gen. carbonis) glowing coal, charcoal, from PIE root *ker heat, fire, to burn (Cf. L. cremare to burn; Skt. krsna black, burnt, kudayati singes; Lith.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • carbón — sustantivo masculino 1. Combustible sólido y negro que se obtiene por destilación o combustión incompleta de diferentes fuentes como huesos o leña y arde con facilidad. carbón animal. carbón vegetal o carbón de leña. 2. Combustible mineral fósil… …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”