Chemistry
Periodic Table
Every material on this platform starts here. Click an element for its electron shells and its role in polymers and composites — carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and silicon do most of the work.
Alkali metalAlkaline earthTransition metalPost-transition metalMetalloidReactive nonmetalHalogenNoble gasLanthanideActinide
Reactive nonmetal
Carbon C
| Atomic number | 6 |
| Atomic mass | 12.011 u |
| Group · Period | 14 · 2 |
| Electron shells | 2 · 4 |
| Valence electrons | 4 |
The backbone atom of every polymer chain — and, graphitized, the carbon fiber.
Where it's found
The 15th most common element on Earth; found as graphite, diamond, and in all living things.
What it's used for
The backbone of every plastic and polymer; graphitised into the carbon fibre that reinforces composites.
Masses: IUPAC standard atomic weights (abridged); parenthetical values for elements with no stable isotope. Shell populations are ground-state configurations (predicted for the superheavies). The Bohr picture is a teaching model — real electrons live in orbitals, not circular tracks.