Carbon is a chemical element. It is represented by the chemical symbol C and its atomic number is 6. It is a non-metallic alkaline earth metal. It is a 15th most bounteous element in the crust of earth.

It is assumed that carbon was discovered and used in ancient times in about 3750 BC. The Sumerians and Egyptians are conjointly considered as the discoverer of carbon. Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier, a French nobleman proved that diamonds are a form of carbon in 1772.