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# carbon

noun (carbon — uncountable; a chemical element, symbol C)

«carbon» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A chemical element found in all living things, in coal, in diamonds and pencil «lead» (graphite). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#m1)
2. Short for carbon dioxide or carbon emissions in talk about climate: «cut carbon», «carbon footprint». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science: carbon is in every living thing; plants take in carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and give out oxygen; animals breathe out carbon dioxide; burning fuels like coal, oil and gas releases carbon dioxide, which traps heat and warms the Earth (climate change). Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas with no smell from faulty heaters — homes need carbon monoxide alarms. Phrases: carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon footprint, carbon cycle, low-carbon.

### Examples

- Diamonds and pencil lead are both made of carbon. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x1)
- Plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x2)
- We breathe out carbon dioxide. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x3)
- Burning coal puts carbon dioxide into the air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x4)
- Walking to school instead of driving shrinks your carbon footprint. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x5)
- A carbon monoxide alarm warns you about a dangerous gas. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x6)
- All living things contain carbon. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x7)
- The carbon cycle moves carbon between air, plants, animals and the ground. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/#x8)

### Note

Uncountable. Symbol C. Two very different gases: carbon dioxide (CO₂, one carbon and two oxygen, we breathe it out) and carbon monoxide (CO, one oxygen, poisonous, from faulty boilers and cars). Pencil «lead» is graphite (carbon), not the metal lead.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «carbon» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/carbon/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«carbon» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/carbon.html) on Mova free.