ABSTRACT
Carbon (6C) exists ubiquitously in nature. It is the fourth most abundant element by mass a er hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. Carbon has four valence electrons in 2s and 2p orbitals that can form three hybridization arrangements: sp, sp2, and sp3. Via these hybrid orbitals, carbon can bond to themselves and to other elements. Even with the carbon element only, there are many systems with distinct properties: diamond, graphene, and buckyball fullerene C60 (Figure 3.1c). It is mysterious that carbon bonding in diamond can be as strong as to scribe other crystals, but in graphite as weak as to scribble on paper.
