carbon

Element that forms the framework for all tissues of plants and animals. Chemical symbol C and atomic number 6. Carbon may appear in many forms, including diamond, graphite, charcoal, carbon black, and fullerene. High quantities of carbon occur in coal, coke, oil, gasoline, and natural gas. Proteins such as hair, meat, and silk contain carbon and other elements. More than six and a half million compounds of the element carbon exist, including sugar, starch, and paper.