Question

Answer the following questions

a. Why are carbon and its compounds used as fuels?

b. In which compound forms does carbon occur?

c. Write the uses of diamond.

Answer 1

a. Carbon and its compounds are used as fuels because most of the carbon compounds produce lot of heat and energy when burnt in air i.e. they have high calorific value.

b. Carbon occurs in the following compounds:

Hydrocarbons: These are organic compounds which are made up of carbon and hydrogen.
CO₂: Carbon also exisits as carbon dioxide and occurs in the air in free state. it is also found as a salt in chalk and limestone. It is given out during combustion of wood, fossil fuel etc.
CH₄: Carbon also exists as methane.

c. Uses of diamonds are as follows:

• used in ornaments
• used in glass cutting and rock drilling machines
• diamond dust is used for polishing other diamonds
• diamond is used to make windows giving protection from radiation in space and in artificial satellites
• diamond knives are used in eye surgery