Lesson 1 · about 15 minutes

Meet carbon

Why one atom with four hands builds diamonds, pencils and you.

You will learn

  • What atoms are made of, and what makes an atom carbon
  • Why carbon usually makes four bonds
  • How the same carbon atoms make both diamond and graphite
  • What "organic" means to a chemist

Sections

  1. Atoms, the building blocks
  2. Four hands to hold
  3. Same atom, different stuff
  4. Why "organic"?
Start lesson