Carbon is a nonmetal. It is a chemical element with the symbol “C” and atomic number 6. It is located in Group 14 (also known as the “carbon group”) of the periodic table. 1 Carbon is an important element for life on Earth, as it is a key component of organic molecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. 2
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Key Takeaways: Is Carbon a Metal, Nonmetal or Metalloid?
- Carbon is a nonmetal and is located in Group 14 of the periodic table.
- Carbon is classified as a nonmetal because it lacks many of the properties that are typically associated with metals.
- Properties that classify carbon as a nonmetal include its brittleness, dull appearance, high electronegativity, and participation in covalent bonding.
- Carbon has unique properties that distinguish it from other nonmetals, such as the ability to exist in different allotropes, being the basis of organic chemistry, and the formation of double and triple bonds.
Why is carbon a nonmetal?
Carbon is classified as a nonmetal because it lacks many of the properties that are typically associated with metals.
Metals tend to be good conductors of electricity and heat, ductile and malleable, and have a lustrous appearance. 3 Pure carbon, on the other hand, is not a good conductor of electricity or heat, it is not ductile or malleable, and it has a dull appearance. 4
Carbon participates in chemical bonding as a nonmetal, forming covalent bonds with other nonmetals, such as oxygen and nitrogen, to form organic compounds. Carbon also has the ability to form double and triple bonds, which are not typically observed in metals. 5
Overall, while carbon does share some properties with metals, such as the ability to form chemical bonds, it lacks many of the key characteristics that are typically used to define metals, and is therefore classified as a nonmetal.
Properties of carbon that classify it as a nonmetal
There are several properties of carbon that classify it as a nonmetal, including:
- Brittle: Carbon is brittle, meaning it does not deform or bend easily under pressure. This is due to the strong covalent bonds between its atoms, which make it difficult for the material to deform.
- Dull appearance: Carbon has a dull or non-lustrous appearance. This is due to the fact that it does not reflect light in the same way that metals do, which is a property of metals.
- High electronegativity: Carbon has a relatively high electronegativity, meaning it has a strong tendency to attract electrons towards itself in chemical bonding. This is a property that is more commonly associated with nonmetals. 6
- Covalent bonding: Carbon participates in chemical bonding as a nonmetal, forming covalent bonds with other nonmetals to form organic compounds. Covalent bonding involves the sharing of electrons between atoms, which is a property more commonly associated with nonmetals than metals.
Overall, these properties distinguish carbon from metals and classify it as a nonmetal.
How is carbon different from other nonmetals?
Carbon has several unique properties that distinguish it from other nonmetals. Here are some ways in which carbon differs from other nonmetals:
- Allotropy: Carbon has the ability to exist in several different allotropes, or forms, including graphite, diamond, and fullerenes. Each allotrope has its own unique physical and chemical properties, which makes carbon a versatile element with a wide range of applications. 7
- Organic chemistry: Carbon is the basis of organic chemistry, which is the study of compounds that contain carbon atoms. 8 Carbon forms strong covalent bonds with other nonmetals such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, which allows for the formation of a vast array of organic compounds.
- High melting and boiling points: Carbon has a relatively high melting and boiling point compared to other nonmetals. 9 This is due to the strength of the covalent bonds between its atoms, which require a large amount of energy to break.
- Semiconductivity: Certain forms of carbon, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes, have unique electrical properties that make them semiconductors. This is different from most other nonmetals, which are either insulators or conductors. 10 11
- Formation of double and triple bonds: Carbon has the ability to form double and triple bonds, which is not typically observed in other nonmetals. This property allows for the formation of a wide range of organic compounds with unique chemical and physical properties.
Overall, the unique properties of carbon make it an incredibly important element with a wide range of applications in various fields, including materials science, chemistry, and biology.
Further reading
Is Nitrogen a Metal or Nonmetal?
Is Oxygen a Metal?
Is Magnesium a Metal or Nonmetal?
Is Fluorine a Metal?
Is Fluorine a Gas?
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References
- Periodic Table of the Elements. (2009, July 30). NIST. https://www.nist.gov/pml/periodic-table-elements
- 2.3 Carbon – Biology for AP® Courses | OpenStax. (n.d.). 2.3 Carbon – Biology for AP® Courses | OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/biology-ap-courses/pages/2-3-carbon
- Properties of metals – Metallic structure and bonding – Eduqas – GCSE Chemistry (Single Science) Revision – Eduqas – BBC Bitesize. (n.d.). BBC Bitesize. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9m6v9q/revision/2
- Elmhurst.edu http://chemistry.elmhurst.edu/vchembook/102carbon.html
- Foundation, C. (n.d.). CK12-Foundation. CK12-Foundation. https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/cbse-chemistry-class-10/section/4.1/primary/lesson/bonding-in-carbon-the-covalent-bond/
- Tantardini, C., & Oganov, A. R. (2021, April 7). Thermochemical electronegativities of the elements. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-22429-0
- Allotropes of carbon – Wikipedia. (2015, October 22). Allotropes of Carbon – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon
- Carbon and Organic Chemistry. (n.d.). Carbon and Organic Chemistry. http://butane.chem.uiuc.edu/pshapley/GenChem2/C3/3.html
- Boudreaux, K. A. (n.d.). The Parts of the Periodic Table. The Parts of the Periodic Table. https://www.angelo.edu/faculty/kboudrea/periodic/physical_states.htm
- Chaudhury, S., & Sinha, S. K. (2019). Carbon Nanotube and Nanowires for Future Semiconductor Devices Applications. Nanoelectronics, 375–398. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-813353-8.00014-2
- ACS.org https://cen.acs.org/materials/electronic-materials/Carbon-nanotube-computers-face-makebreak/97/i8