HHomeBackground Color:He
LiBeCarbon Main PageBlack White GrayBCNOFNe
NaMgCarbon Pictures PageAlSiPSClAr
KCaCarbon Isotope DataScTiVCrMnFeCoNiCuZnGaGeAsSeBrKr
RbSrYZrNbMoTcRuRhPdAgCdInSnSbTeIXe
CsBaLaCePrNdPmSmEuGdTbDyHoErTmYbLuHfTaWReOsIrPtAuHgTlPbBiPoAtRn
FrRaAcThPaUNpPuAmCmBkCfEsFmMdNoLrRfDbSgBhHsMtDsRgCnNhFlMcLvTsOg

Technical data for Carbon

Click any property name to see plots of that property for all the elements.

Overview
NameCarbon
SymbolC
Atomic Number6
Atomic Weight12.011
Density2.26 g/cm3[note]
Melting Point3550 °C[note]
Boiling Point4027 °C[note]

Thermal properties
PhaseSolid
Melting Point3550 °C[note]
Boiling Point4027 °C[note]
Absolute Melting Point3823 K[note]
Absolute Boiling Point4300 K[note]
Critical PressureN/A
Critical TemperatureN/A
Heat of Fusion105 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization715 kJ/mol
Specific Heat710 J/(kg K)[note]
Adiabatic IndexN/A
Neel PointN/A
Thermal Conductivity140 W/(m K)
Thermal Expansion7.1×10-6 K-1[note]

Bulk physical properties
Density2.26 g/cm3[note]
Density (Liquid)N/A
Molar Volume5.3146×10-6
Brinell HardnessN/A
Mohs Hardness0.5[note]
Vickers HardnessN/A
Bulk Modulus33 GPa
Shear ModulusN/A
Young ModulusN/A
Poisson RatioN/A
Refractive Index2.417[note]
Speed of Sound18350 m/s
Thermal Conductivity140 W/(m K)
Thermal Expansion7.1×10-6 K-1[note]

Reactivity
Valence4
Electronegativity2.55
ElectronAffinity153.9 kJ/mol
Ionization Energies
1086.5, 2352.6, 4620.5, 6222.7, 37831, 47277 kJ/mol

Health and Safety
DOT Hazard Class
4.2
DOT Numbers1361
RTECS Number
RTECSHL4158550
NFPA LabelNFPA Label

Classifications
Alternate NamesNone
Names of Allotropes
Graphite, Diamond, AmorphousCarbon, Lonsdaleite, Fullerene, CarbonNanotube, Graphene
Blockp
Group14
Period2
SeriesNonmetal
Electron Configuration[He]2s22p2
ColorBlack
Discovery
3750 BC
[note]
Gas phaseN/A
CAS NumberCAS7440-44-0
CID Number
CID5462310
RTECS Number
RTECSHL4158550

Electrical properties
Electrical TypeConductor[note]
Electrical Conductivity100000 S/m[note]
Resistivity0.00001 m Ω[note]
Superconducting PointN/A

Magnetic properties
Magnetic TypeDiamagnetic
Curie PointN/A
Mass Magnetic Susceptibility-6.2×10-9 m3/Kg
Molar Magnetic Susceptibility-7.45×10-11 m3/mol
Volume Magnetic Susceptibility-0.000014

Abundances
% in Universe0.5%
% in Sun0.3%
% in Meteorites1.5%
% in Earth's Crust0.18%
% in Oceans0.0028%
% in Humans23%

Atomic dimensions and structure
Atomic Radius67 pm
Covalent Radius76 pm
Van der Waals Radius170 pm
Crystal StructureSimple Hexagonal
Lattice Angles
π/2, π/2, 2 π/3
Lattice Constants
246.4, 246.4, 671.1 pm
Space Group NameP63/mmc
Space Group Number194

Nuclear Properties
Half-LifeStable
LifetimeStable
Decay ModeN/A
Quantum Numbers3P0
Neutron Cross Section0.0035
Neutron Mass Absorption0.000015
Known Isotopes
8C, 9C, 10C, 11C, 12C, 13C, 14C, 15C, 16C, 17C, 18C, 19C, 20C, 21C, 22C
Stable Isotopes
12C, 13C
Isotopic Abundances
12C98.93%
13C1.07%


Notes on the properties of Carbon:

Boiling Point: Value given for diamond form.

Density: Value given for graphite form. Density of diamond form is 3500.

Discovery Year: Known since ancient times.

Electrical Conductivity: Value given for graphite. Diamond electrical conductivity is approximately 0.001.

Electrical Type: Value given for graphite. Diamond is an insulator.

Melting Point: Value given for diamond form.

Mohs Hardness: Value given for graphite. Diamond value is 10.0

Refractive Index: Value given for diamond form.

Resistivity: Value given for graphite. Diamond resistivity is approximately 1000.

Specific Heat: Value given for solid graphite form.

Thermal Expansion: Value given for graphite form.

Up to date, curated data provided by
Mathematica's ElementData function from Wolfram Research, Inc.

The Elements book Mad Science book Periodic Table Poster  Click here to buy a book, photographic periodic table poster, card deck, or 3D print based on the images you see here!