http://www.ck12.orgCHAPTER
9 Chemistry of Carbon
Chapter Outline
9.1 Properties of Carbon
9.2 HYDROCARBONS
9.3 CARBON ANDLIVINGTHINGS
9.4 BIOCHEMICALREACTIONS
9.5 REFERENCES
The puffy white fibers on this plant look like cotton balls. In fact, that’s just what they are! The plant is a cotton
plant, and the white fibers enclose the seeds of the plant. The fibers are used to make cotton fabrics, so if you have
a cotton T-shirt, this is where the fabric came from. Cotton fibers —and most other plant fibers —consist of one of
the most common compounds on Earth, the compound named cellulose.
Cellulose is a compound found in plants. The chief component of cellulose is carbon. Cellulose is one of many
carbon-based compounds that make up living things. In fact, carbon-based compounds are the most common type
of compound on Earth. More than 90 percent of all known compounds contain carbon. Do you know why carbon is
found in so many compounds? Read on to find out.
Flickr:Calsidyrose.www.flickr.com/photos/calsidyrose/ 3072355965 .CC BY 2. 0.