1 Carbon and its compounds || Chapter 3||Chemistry

Q1) What is carbon?

Ans) Carbon is a very important element and forms more compounds than all other
elements. It is the major chemical constituent of most organic matter, from fossil fuels to the
complex molecules (DNA and RNA) that control genetic reproduction in organisms. Carbon
forms organic compounds such as hydrocarbons ( compounds containing carbon and
hydrogen) and proteins. It also forms inorganic compounds such as carbonates , carbon
dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Q2) Where is carbon found in everyday life?
Ans) Carbon compounds are found in
i) Food: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins
ii) Clothes: cotton, wool, silk, nylon , terylene
iii) Fuels: petrol, kerosene, diesel, LPG, CNG
iv) Plastics: Polythene, PVC, polystyrene
v) Medicines: antipyretics, analgesics, antibiotics
vi) Other products: wood , paper , paints , inks
Q3) Write a brief note on occurrence of carbon?
Ans) Carbon is found in the free as well as combined state. Carbon constitutes only about
0.032% of the earth’s crust. However , it is an important part in all living things:
i) In the Free State, carbon occurs as diamond, graphite and coal.
ii) In the combined state, it occurs
(a) In plants and animals as carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins.
(b) In nature as hydrocarbons such as methane (CH4 ) and ethane ( C2 H6 ) , petroleum and
natural gas.
(c) In carbonate minerals such as limestone , marble and Chalk
(d) In the atmosphere as carbon monoxide
(e) In water as dissolved carbon dioxide and carbonic acid.
Q4) What is allotropy and what are allotropes?
Ans) The existence of an element in two or more forms in the same physical state is known
as allotropy. The different physical forms of the same element in the same physical state are
called allotropes.
Q5) What are the allotropes of carbon?
Ans) Carbon exists in two allotropic forms, namely the crystalline form and amorphous
form. The crystalline forms of carbon have regular shapes and they are diamond, graphite and
fullerene. The atmosphere forms of carbon do not have a regular shape and they are charcoal
, lampblack, gas carbon and coke.
Q6) Write a brief note on Diamond?
Ans) Diamond is the purest form of carbon. It is also the hardest naturally occurring
substance. A diamond is a lustrous and crystalline solid. Diamonds have different colors such
as tinged yellow, blue, brown, green, pink and even black. This is due to presence of metallic
impurities. The brilliance and beauty of diamonds depends upon the skill with which they are
cut and polished.
 2 Carbon and its compounds || Chapter 3||Chemistry

Q7) Explain the formation of natural diamonds?

Ans) Diamonds are formed from carbon deep inside the earth under extreme heat and
pressure. Diamonds occur in the shafts of extinct volcanoes.
Q8) Explain the preparation of synthetic diamonds?
Ans) Synthetic or artificial diamonds can be prepared by compressing carbon under
extremely high pressure and temperature.
Q9) Explain the structure of diamond?
Ans) Each carbon atom in diamond is joined to four other carbon atoms by covalent bonds.
The diamond crystal is a regular tetrahedron having one carbon atom at each of its four
corners and one carbon atom lying at its center. Each carbon at the corner is further attached
to three more carbon atoms and so on. As a result, a diamond crystal appears to be closely
packed three dimensional rigid structures.
Q10) Why does Diamond sparkle?
i) The light that enters the crystal undergoes repeated reflections within the crystal before it
emerges. As such, light is trapped within the crystal and lends a sparkle to the diamond.
Diamond has a high refractive index (2.415) because of which it sparkles.
Q11) List down the properties of Diamond?
Ans) Properties of Diamond:
i) Nature: It is the purest form of carbon and the hardest known substance.
ii) Appearance: Pure diamonds are transparent and colorless. The impurities impart color to
diamonds.
iii) Density: Diamond has a density of 3.5g/cm3 .
iv) Refractive Index: Diamond has a high refractive index (2.415) because of which it sparkles.
v) Electrical conductivity: It doesn’t conduct electricity.
vi) Transparent to X-rays: Diamond is transparent to xrays.
vii) Melting point: It has high melting point. (3930 °C )
viii) Effect of heat: when heated in oxygen above 700-800 °C, it forms carbon dioxide. If
heated above 1500 °C in the absence of oxygen, it is transformed in to graphite.
ix) Chemical reactivity: it is chemically inert and unaffected by organic solvents, acids and
alkalis.
Q12) What are the uses of Diamond?
Ans) Uses of Diamond:
i) Jewellery: The colorless or slightly tinted diamonds are precious gems and are used in
making jewellery.
ii) Surgery: Diamond knives are used as surgical tools to remove cataract from eyes.
iii) Industry: It is used as sharp edged cutters for cutting glass and other hard materials. It is
used for drilling hard rocks.
Q13) What is Graphite?
Ans) Graphite is a grayish black, opaque solid. It is soft and slippery to touch. The name
graphite is derived from the Greek word graphus meaning ‘to write ‘. The ‘lead’ used in pencils
is prepared by mixing graphite with clay.
 3 Carbon and its compounds || Chapter 3||Chemistry

Q14) What is the structure of Graphite?

Ans) Graphite has a layered structure. It is made up of flat planar layers of carbon atoms.
Each layer contains hexagonal rings consisting of six carbon atoms. In graphite each carbon
atom is covalently linked to three carbon atoms, rather than to four, leaving the fourth
valence electron of each carbon atom free..This free electron accounts for the electrical
conductivity of graphite. Graphite contains layers of carbon atoms held together by weak
forces of attraction.
Q15) What are the properties of Graphite?
Ans) Properties of Graphite:
i) Appearance: it is grayish black, opaque solid. It has a metallic lusture.
ii) Nature: It is soft and slippery to touch.
iii) It has density of 2.2g/cm3
iv) It is a good conductor of heat and electricity
v) It has a high melting point of 3700 °C
vi) When ignited in air at 700 °C it produces carbon dioxide.
vii) It is insoluble in most solvents.
Q16) What are the uses of Graphite?
Ans) The uses of Graphite are:
i) Since Graphite is soft and leaves ablack mark on paper, it is uses to make pencil lead ,
which contains graphite mixed with clay.
ii) Being a good conductor of electricity graphite is used for making electrodes for dry cells
and electric arcs.
iii) Graphite is a good conductor of heat,is resistant to chemicals and has a high melting
point.Hence it is used to make crucibles for conducting high temperature chemical
reactions and melting substance.
iv) Graphite is soft and slippery , it is used as a lubricant in machinery.
v) Graphite is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors to slow down the speed of fast
neutrons.
vi) Graphite is black in colour and insoluble in water, it is used to make black paint and
printer’s ink.
Q17) List down differences between Diamond and Graphite?
Ans) Differences between Diamond and Graphite are:
Property Diamond Graphite
Colour Pure Diamond is colourless and It is black, opaque and shiny
transaparent
Nature Hardest natural substance It is soft and slippery to touch
Density Has a density of 3.5 g/cm3 It has density of 2.2 g/cm3

Electrical Conductivity It is a bad conductor of electricity It is a good conductor of electricity

Effect of Heat Burns in air above 700-800 °C to Burns in air at 700°C to form Carbon
form Carbon Dioxide Dioxide
 4 Carbon and its compounds || Chapter 3||Chemistry

Q18) What is Fullerenes?

Ans) Fullerenes is the most recently discovered crystalline allotropic form of carbon. This
allotropic form of Carbon was discovered in 1985 by three scientists, H.W. Kroto, R.F. Curl and
R.E. Smalley. They were awarded the Noble prize for chemistry in 1996 for this discovery.
Q19) Explain the buckministerfullerenes?
Ans) In 1985 a new allotrope of carbon (C60) was discovered.Sixty carbon atoms form the
shape of a ball like a football with a carbon atom at each corner of the 20 hexagons and 12
pentagons. Each carbon atom (shown below as a circle) has three bonds. The size of the
molecule is almost exactly 1nm in diameter.The ratio of the size of an
ordinary soccer ball to the planet Earth is the same as the ratio of the
size of a C60 molecule to a soccer ball.These are not called giant
molecules because there are only sixty atoms.A large number of
these molecules can fit together to form a transparent yellow solid
called fullerite.

This form of carbon was named after the American architect Buckminster Fuller,who was
famous for designing a large geodesic dome which looked similar (sort of) to the molecular
structure of C60. Many other balls of carbon called fullerenes,have since been made, including
C70, C76, and C84.These molecules have become known as "buckyballs".
Q20) List down the properties of fullerenes?
Ans) The properties of fullerenes are
i) The buckyball is a yellow crystalline solid.
ii) Fullerenes can be dissolved in various solvents.
iii) Some of the compounds of fullerenes act as super conductors at high temperature
Q21) Where does fullerenes occur?
Ans) It occurs as a constituent of soot. It is also found interstellar gas clouds.
Q22) What are the ueses of fullerenes?
Ans) The uses of fullerenes are:
i) Some compounds of fullerenes are good conductors of heat and electricity. Hence , they
may have applications in electronic devices.
ii) It can be used in cancer as well as AIDS therapy.
iii) It may be used in lubricants.
Q23) What are the amorphous forms of Carbon?
Ans) Amorphous forms of carbon mainly include charcoal, lampblack, gas carbon, coke and
coal.
Q24) What is Charcoal?
Ans) Charcoal is formed when carbon containing substances such as wood, bones and sugar
are heated in the absence of air.The process of the breakdown of organic substances such as
coal and wood on heating them strongly in the absence of air is known as destructive
distillation. During this process , the gases and liquids that are volatile escape leaving behind
 5 Carbon and its compounds || Chapter 3||Chemistry

charcoal. Charcoal is black in colour, soft and porous. Depending on their sources, there are
three types of charcoal- wood charcoal, bone charcoal and sugar charcoal.
Q25) What is Wood Charcoal?
Ans) Wood charcoal is obtained by the destructive distillation of wood. The gases formed
during this process are carbondioxide carbon monoxide methane and hydrogen.This mixture
of gases is combustible and is known as wood gas. Wood Charcoal can be produced in the
laboratory by heating wood shavings in the absence of air.
Q26) List down the physical properties of wood charcoal?
Ans) The physical properties of wood charcoal:
i) It is grey black in colour, porous and brittle.
ii) It floats on water because of its porosity.
iii) It is bad conductor of heat and electricity.
iv) It adsorbs gases, liquids and solids. This property of attaracting gases, liquids or solids to
its surface by a solid is called adsorption.
Q27) What are the uses of wood charcoal?
Ans) The uses of wood charcoal:
i) Wood charcoal is a better fuel than wood because it burns better and causes less air
pollution.
ii) It is used in making gun powder used in guns and as blasting agents in mining.
iii) It is used as decolorizing agent , as it adsorbs coloured materials.
iv) It is used in deodorants as it adsorbs foul smelling gases.
v) Wood charcoal is used in gas masks for the removal of toxic compounds from the air.
vi) It is used in water filters to adsorb dissolved or supended substances and unpleasant
odour from water.
Q28) What is activated charcoal?
Ans) If wood charcoal is heated at around 900°C in alimited supply of air activated charcoal
is formed. Activated charcoal in powdered form Hs far more surface area than that of wood
charcoal. Hence it is more active than wood charcoal. Activated charcoal is used as acatalyst
to facilitate certain chemical reactions. Hydrogen reacts with chlorine very slowly. But
Hydrogen readily combines with chlorine adsorbed on activated charcoal, in dark. Activated
charcoal is also used to separate a mixture of noble gases, such as amixture of helium, argon,
neon and krypton. Activated charcoal adsorbs different gases at different temperatures.
Ans)