Nama : Aditya Herlin Pradana

NIM : 03051281621059
Teknik Mesin A

Carbon
Carbon is a solid non-metallic chemical element (symbol C) occurring in the pure crystalline
form as diamond and graphite. It is also found in the combined form as a constituent of all organic
materials, including coal and petroleum, and of inorganic compounds such as limestone and baking
powder. Despite its wide distribution, carbon constitutes only 0.19 per cent of the earths crust.
The two elementary forms of carbon have very different properties. In diamond the atmos so
tightly bound one to another that it provides man with his hardest known substance. On the other hand,
the second crystalline form of carbon, graphite, is a soft black substance with atoms hexagonally
arranged in parallel sheets. Each sheet is only loosely bound to that above and to that below it, giving
graphite a slippery feeling and explaining its use as a lubricant and in writing instruments. The lead of
lead pencils is basically graphite.
Another important difference between diamond and graphite is that of electrical conductivity.
Diamond is a non-conductor while graphite conducts in the direction parallel to the hexagonal sheets.
Both have high melting and boiling points.
The optical properties of diamond are extremely significant. It has the highest index of
refraction of any familiar gemstone and therefore reflects more light back to the eye than any other
gem. It also has remarkable dispersive power. The light is broken up into the colours of the spectrum.
These optical factors combined with the unusual clarity and transparency of the mineral, give the
diamond its brilliance. Over 90% of the worlds diamonds come from South Africa where they are
found in kimberlite rock in the craters of extinct volcanoes. It takes several tons of kimberlite obtained
from the earth by mining methods to yield a fraction of a carat of perfect diamond. The popular interest
in diamonds concentrates on their value as gemstone, but the stones have greater value as industrial
tools. Industrial diamond tools may be used to drill or shape glass and ceramic articles and to grind and
polish steels. Artificial diamonds have been produced by heating and compressing carbon in the form
of graphite or carbon-containing compounds such as carbonhydrates.
At low temperatures all forms of carbon are relatively inert, but at elevated temperatures will
combine with oxygen to form oxides. Any form of carbon when combined with a large quantity of
oxygen at an elevated temperatures forms carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is also formed in the
incomplete combustion of petroleum products and is found in appreciable percentages in the
automobile exhaust. Elementary carbon, when heated in an atmosphere of excess oxygen, is converted
to the dioxide. Carbon dioxide is moderately non-reactive.materials which burn at relatively low
temperature, such as wood, petroleum products and paper, do not continue to burn in CO2 for this
reason carbon dioxide is used as a fire-suppressing agent in fire extinguishers. Carbon is stable towards
water but undergoes slight oxidation when heated with the oxidizingacids. In reaction with alkali,
however, it does not suffer any attack.

Exercise:
1. As here means :
a. In the form of
b. Since
c. Similar to
2. What does it in paragraph four refer to ?
Answer : Diamond.
3. Summarize the paragraph by completing the following diagram.
Name of Element

Forms

Crystallin

Examples
Diamond
Graphite

Carbon

As a constituent of

combined

Examples

Organic
material

coal

Inorganic
compoun

limestone

4. Hard is the opposite of.....

Answer : Soft
5. The word that appears twice in this sentence. What does it refer to each time?
Answer :
6. What gives graphite its slippery feeling and explains its uses mentioned ?
Answer : Its atoms hexagonally arranged in parallel sheets. Each sheet is only loosely bound to that
above and to that below it, giving graphite a slippery feeling and explaining its use as a lubricant and in
wariting instruments.
7. Complete the following table to show what determines the properties given in the table.
SUBSTANCE
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
PROPERTY
Diamonds
Tightly bound
Hard
Graphite
Loosely bound
Soft
8. In what other ways are diamond and graphite different? In what ways are similar?
Answer : Electrical conductivity, high melting and boiling points.
9. What explains diamonds ability to reflect so much light back to the eye?
Answer : It has the highest index of refraction of any familiar gemstone.
10. What phrase explains the meaning of dispersive power?
Answer : The light is broken up into the colours of the spectrum.

11. Diamonds are found in kimberlite rock. Several tons of kimberlite are necessary to yield a fraction of a
carat of perfect diamond. What does yield means in this context?
Answer : Produce.
12. What are needed in order to produce artificial diamonds?
a. Graphite, carbon containing compounds and carbohydrates.
b. Either graphite or carbon-containing compound.
c. Graphite and carbohydrates.
13. At high temperatures carbon reacts, but at low temperatures, it is inert. What can be deduced as the
meaning of inert?
Answer : it;s not chemically reactive
14. What is found in an automobile exhaust?
Answer : Carbon monoxide.
15. What are wood, petroleum products and paper example of?
Answer : Materials which burn at relatively low temperature.
16. Why is CO2 used as a fire-suppressing agent?
Answer : Because materials which burn at relatively low temperature, such as wood, petroleum
products and paper, dont continue to burn in CO2
17. An oxidizing acid is an acid which causes oxidation. Carbon undergoes oxidation when heated with
these acids.
Carbon undergoes oxidation means:
a. Carbon causes oxidation
b. Carbon suffers oxidation
c. Carbon combines with oxidation
18. What are two differences between diamond and graphite?
Answer : Electrical conductivity and molecular structure.
19. Complete the following table to show how carbon combines with oxygen.
FORM OF CARBON
AMOUNT OF OXYGEN
RESULT
Any form
Large
Carbon monoxide
Elementary carbon
Excess
Carbon dioxide
20. In what two ways carbon monoxide produced?
Answer : formed in the incomplete combustion of petroleum products and is found in appreciable
percentages in the automobile exhaust.