Deutsch: Kohlenstoff / Español: Carbono / Português: Carbono / Français: Carbone / Italiano: Carbonio

Carbon is a chemical element with the symbol C. The standard atomic weight is 12.011. It is tetravalent so giving space for four electrons.

Description

Carbon is a key element in the environment, existing in various forms such as organic compounds, atmospheric carbon dioxide, and inorganic carbonates. It plays a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, being exchanged between the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms. Carbon is involved in processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition, impacting the overall health of ecosystems. Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have significantly increased carbon emissions, leading to issues like climate change and ocean acidification. Understanding the dynamics of carbon in the environment is essential for sustainable management and protection of natural resources.

Application Areas

• Carbon sequestration
• Carbon footprint assessment
• Carbon trading and offsetting
• Carbon cycling studies
• Carbon capture and storage

Treatment and Risks

• Carbon removal through afforestation and reforestation
• Decreasing carbon emissions through renewable energy sources
• Risks include climate change, ocean acidification, and loss of biodiversity
• Control of carbon pollutants to prevent environmental degradation

Examples

• Burning of fossil fuels releasing carbon dioxide
• Photosynthesis capturing carbon from the atmosphere
• Decomposition of organic matter returning carbon to the soil

Similar Concepts and Synonyms

• CO2 (carbon dioxide)
• Greenhouse gas
• Carbon cycle
• Carbon sequestration

Weblinks

• space-glossary.com: 'Carbon' in the space-glossary.com
• top500.de: 'Carbon' in the glossary of the top500.de
• umweltdatenbank.de: 'Kohlenstoff' im Lexikon der umweltdatenbank.de (German)

Articles with 'Carbon' in the title

• Activated Carbon: An Activated Carbon is a highly adsorbent form of carbon used to remove odors and toxic substances from liquid or gaseous emissions. In waste treatment, it is used to remove dissolved organic matter from waste drinking water
• Carbon Adsorption: A Carbon Adsorption is a treatment system that removes contaminants from Ground Water or surface water by forcing it through tanks containing Activated Carbon treated to attract the contaminants
• Carbon black: Carbon black is an amorphous form of carbon, produced commercially by thermal or oxidative Decomposition of Hydrocarbons and used principally in rubber goods, pigments, and printer's ink.See also: "Carbon black" is in the UNSPSC Code "12171 . . .
• Carbon cycle: A Carbon cycle is all carbon reservoirs and exchanges of carbon from reservoir to reservoir by various chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes
• Carbon dioxide: A carbon dioxide (CO2) is a naturally occurring greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, concentrations of which have increased (from 280 parts per million in preindustrial times to over 350 parts per million today) as a result of humans' burnin . . .
• Carbon dioxide equivalent: A Carbon dioxide equivalent is a Metric measure used to compare the Emissions from various greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP)
• Carbon Equivalent: A Carbon Equivalent is a Metric measure used to compare the Emissions of different greenhouse gases based upon their global warming potential (GWP). Greenhouse gas Emissions in the U
• Carbon Monoxide: A Carbon Monoxide is Carbon Monoxide is colorless, odorless gas resulting from the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. Carbon Monoxide interferes with blood's ability to carry oxygen to the body's tissues and results in numerous a . . .
• Carbon sequestration: A Carbon sequestration is the uptake and storage of carbon. Trees and plants, for example, absorb carbon dioxide, release the oxygen and store the carbon
• Carbon sinks: Carbon sinks are Carbon reservoirs and conditions that take-in and store more carbon (ie. carbon sequestration) than they release. Carbon sinks can serve to partially offset greenhouse gas emissions
• Carbon tax: Carbon tax: A carbon tax is a charge on fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) based on their carbon content. When burned, the carbon in these fuels becomes carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the chief greenhouse gas
• Carbon tetrachloride: A Carbon tetrachloride is a Compound consisting of one carbon atom and four chlorine atoms. It is an ozone depleting substance. Carbon tetrachloride was widely used as a raw material in many industrial applications, including the producti . . .
• Carbon Tetrachloride (CC14): Carbon Tetrachloride (CC14) : A Carbon Tetrachloride (CC14) is Compound consisting of one carbon atom ad four chlorine atoms, once widely used as a industrial raw material, as a solvent, and in the production of CFCs
• Fertilization, Carbon Dioxide: Fertilization, Carbon Dioxide : A Fertilization, Carbon Dioxide is an expression (sometimes reduced to fertilization) used to denote increased plant growth due to a higher carbon dioxide concentration
• Low-carbon transportation: Low-carbon transportation refers to transportation systems and methods that emit significantly lower levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) compared to conventional petroleum-based transportation
• Soil carbon: A Soil carbon is a major component of the terrestrial Biosphere pool in the carbon cycle. The amount of carbon in the soil is a function of the historical vegetative cover and productivity, which in turn is dependent in part upon climatic v . . .
• Bromofluorocarbon: In the environment context, "Bromofluorocarbon" refers to a group of organic compounds that contain bromine, fluorine, and carbon. These synthetic chemicals are related to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), k . . .
• Hydrocarbon: In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.[1] Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls.[2] Aromatic hydrocarbons (are . . .
• Hydrochlorofluorocarbon: Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refers to a group of chemical compounds that contain hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, and carbon. They are used in various applications, including refrigerants, solvents, and foam-blowing agents

Summary

Carbon in the environment is a crucial element involved in various processes that impact ecosystem health and global climate. Understanding its dynamics, sources, and impacts is essential for sustainable environmental management.--