Carbon Carbon is one of the basic elements of matter (Bush 1230-1231). The name carbon comes from the Latin word "carbo" meaning coal. Carbon is the sixth most abundant element (Gangson). More than 1,000,000 compounds are made up of carbon (Carbon (C)). "The Element Carbon is defined as a naturally abundant nonmetallic element found in many inorganic compounds and all organic compounds, existing freely as graphite and diamond and as a constituent of coal, limestone, and petroleum, and is capable of self- chemical production by binding to form an enormous number of chemically, biologically and commercially important molecules." Carbon is used in diamonds, petroleum oil, radiocarbon dating, smoke detectors, kerosene, gasoline, and carbon fiber. (Alcina). Organic chemistry is the study of carbon and its compounds (Alcina). Carbon makes up less than 1% of all matter. Carbon is part of every living thing (Gangson). Carbon makes up eighteen percent of all matter in living things. (Alcino). The average human body has about 16 kilograms of carbon in some form of this element. Carbon is a part of DNA and proteins. (Robertson). Radiocarbon dating is used to determine how old something is. When some of the normal carbon is hit by the sun's rays it turns into carbon 14. Plants absorb this radioactive carbon in the form of carbon dioxide. Animals receive this carbon by eating plants. When the organism dies it loses carbon 14. Scientists can determine how old something is based on how much carbon 14 is in a dead object. Carbon dating is accurate if the amount of carbon 14 in the atmosphere has remained the same over time. The second is whether carbon 14 has always decayed at the same rate, and the last is whether all living things absorb... half the paper...ritannicaInc., 2013. Web. 03 December 2013"How dry ice works ?" April 01, 2000. HowStuffWorks.com. December 03, 2013.Gangson, Steve. "The element carbon." It's Elemental. Jefferson Lab and Web. November 29, 2013.Ritter, Steve. "WHAT IS THIS STUFF? - PENCILS AND PENCIL LEADS." Chemistry and engineering news. Chemistry and Engineering News, 15 October 2001. Web. 01 December 2013.Rohrer, Jürg Rohrer, and Ann-Kristin Peterson. "It's time for a change." What is carbon footprint. It's Time for a Change, nd Web. 01 December 2013.Robertson, Murray. "Carbon." Royal Chemical Society. Royal Society of Chemistry, ndWeb. November 11 Sharon Schonhaut. "Graphite." Minerals Education Coalition. Minerals Education Coalition, ndWeb. December 01, 2013.Smithsonian. "Smithsonian Encyclopedia: Hope Diamond." Smithsonian Encyclopedia: HopeDiamond. Smithsonian and Web. November 30. 2013.