9781422279441

predict which state of matter an element is most likely to be found— solid, liquid, or gas—based on its location. The periodic table is a very useful tool as one begins to investigate chemistry and science in general. This book is about the element carbon. Carbon, a nonmetal, has six protons and six neutrons in its nucleus. A stable atom of carbon has six electrons. Carbon is a solid under standard conditions. Just how useful is this element? We are carbon-based beings. All living things on Earth, from humans to blades of grass, from giant sequoias to tiny dust mites, are all carbon-based organisms. The cells of all living things are made of carbon. And carbon plays even more roles in our lives. The temperature on Earth is at a temperature that can sustain life thanks to the carbon in the atmosphere. Carbon, in a variety of forms, fuels our automobiles and buses, and in a lot of cases, warms our homes and helps cook our food. New technologies have opened up a whole new world of medicine and space explora- tion that utilizes the unique properties of carbon. We all use and need carbon in our lives, and we need to be mindful of how we use it and the lasting impact our use will have on future generations and on the health of the planet.

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