9781422279441

Carbon: INTRODUCTION

A Key Element

T ake a close look around you. What do you see? A book or perhaps a half-eaten piece of toast, sits on your desk. Outside your window, you might see clouds or rain or a bird flying by. As you look, your heart pumps your blood throughout your body. All of those things that you see— including the eyes you use to see them—are the solids, liquids, and gases that are composed of elements of the periodic table. The periodic table is an arrangement of all the naturally oc- curring, and manufactured, elements known to humans at this point in time. There are 92 elements that can be found natu- rally on Earth and in space. The remaining 26 (or thereabouts) have been manufactured and analyzed in a laboratory setting. These elements, alone or in combination with others, form and shape all the matter around us. From the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the food we eat—all these things are made of elements.

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