Carbon is an important chemical element. It is critical to living systems as it forms carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. On the economic front, it is found in wood, in what we commonly refer to s charcoal, as well as I food. Carbon is also used in industries in the refining of petroleum, and production of methane gas. Our clothes, especially if they are made of silk or polyester have elements of carbon in them. The electrical energy we use in our homes is most likely made from carbon. This is because nuclear reactors use carbon while dry batteries have carbon electrodes. Every time you drink water from a glass, then you are using a carbon product. It is used to manufacture glass.
The earliest uses of carbon were in the form of charcoal during pre-historic times. It is therefore considered one of the oldest elements known to mankind. This should help explain why no one is credited with discovering carbon. For many years down the line people assumed charcoal was carbon or vice-versa. This is reflected even in its current name. The name carbon is derived from Latin word carbo, which means charcoal.
In the 17th century, a scientist by the name Robert Boyle demonstrated that carbon was in fact an element that cannot be broken down any further. So it might be safe to credit the discovery of carbon to Mr. Boyle.
However, down the years, many other scientists have added to the general understanding of this widely occurring chemical element. One of them is Antoine Lavoisier who showed that diamonds are a form of carbon. I am sure women will love this man, even though he didn’t live forever like his diamond demonstration. By 1722, it had been discovered that steel could be obtained by burning iron with carbon. A French scientist named Rene AF de Reaumur demonstrated this.
In 1779, Carl Scheele demonstrated that graphite was another form of carbon. A new form of carbon was discovered as recently as 1985. Three scientists Harold Kroto, Robert Curl Jr., and Richard Smalley discovered it. They named the new carbon form Buckministerfullerene because it resembled an old architectural design by one Buckminster Fuller.
Carbon as we know it today has a very long history. But discovery of the element is credited to no one in particular. However, due credit is given to al those scientist who burned the midnight oil to help us understand the element and therefore make full use of its properties.
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