Compare Copper vs Carbon: Periodic Table Element Comparison Table and Properties
Compare the elements Copper and Carbon on the basis of their properties, attributes and periodic table facts. Compare elements - Copper and Carbon comparison table side by side across over 90 properties. All the elements of similar categories show a lot of similarities and differences in their chemical, atomic, physical properties and uses. These similarities and dissimilarities should be known while we study periodic table elements. You can study the detailed comparison between Copper vs Carbon with most reliable information about their properties, attributes, facts, uses etc. You can compare Cu vs C on more than 90 properties like electronegativity, oxidation state, atomic shells, orbital structure, Electronaffinity, physical states, electrical conductivity and many more. This in-depth comparison helps students, educators, researchers, and science enthusiasts understand the differences and similarities between Copper and Carbon.
Copper and Carbon Comparison
Here's a detailed comparison between Copper (Cu) and Carbon (C), focusing on their position in the periodic table, physical and chemical properties, stability, and uses.
Facts - Basic Element Details
| Name | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 29 | 6 |
| Atomic Symbol | Cu | C |
| Atomic Weight | 63.546 | 12.0107 |
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Copper | Black |
| Metallic Classification | Transition Metal | Other Nonmetal |
| Group in Periodic Table | group 11 | group 14 |
| Group Name | copper family | carbon family |
| Period in Periodic Table | period 4 | period 2 |
| Block in Periodic Table | d -block | p -block |
| Electronic Configuration | [Ar] 3d10 4s1 | [He] 2s2 2p2 |
| Electronic Shell Structure (Electrons per shell) | 2, 8, 18, 1 | 2, 4 |
| Melting Point | 1357.77 K | 3823 K |
| Boiling Point | 3200 K | 4300 K |
| CAS Number | CAS7440-50-8 | CAS7440-44-0 |
| Neighborhood Elements | Neighborhood Elements of Copper | Neighborhood Elements of Carbon |
History
| Parameter | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| History | The element Copper was discovered by Middle East in year 9000 BCE. Copper derived its name from English word (Latin cuprum). | The element Carbon was discovered by Egyptians and Sumerians in year 3750 BCE. Carbon derived its name the Latin word carbo, meaning 'coal'. |
| Discovery | Middle East (9000 BCE) | Egyptians and Sumerians (3750 BCE) |
| Isolated | Anatolia (6000 BCE) | () |
Presence: Abundance in Nature and Around Us
Parts per billion (ppb) by weight / by atoms (1ppb =10^-7 %)
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Abundance in Universe | 60 / 1 | 5000000 / 500000 |
| Abundance in Sun | 700 / 10 | 3000000 / 300000 |
| Abundance in Meteorites | 110000 / 31000 | 15000000 / 18000000 |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 68000 / 22000 | 1800000 / 3100000 |
| Abundance in Oceans | 3 / 0.29 | 28000 / 14400 |
| Abundance in Humans | 1000 / 99 | 230000000 / 120000000 |
Crystal Structure and Atomic Structure
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Volume | 7.124 cm3/mol | 5.29 cm3/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 145 pm | 67 pm |
| Covalent Radius | 138 pm | 77 pm |
| Van der Waals Radius | 140 pm | 170 pm |
Atomic Spectrum - Spectral Lines | ||
| Emission Spectrum |  |  |
| Absorption Spectrum |  |  |
| Lattice Constant | 361.49, 361.49, 361.49 pm | 246.4, 246.4, 671.1 pm |
| Lattice Angle | π/2, π/2, π/2 | π/2, π/2, 2 π/3 |
| Space Group Name | Fm_ 3m | P63/mmc |
| Space Group Number | 225 | 194 |
| Crystal Structure | Face Centered Cubic  | Simple Hexagonal  |
Atomic and Orbital Properties
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Number | 29 | 6 |
| Number of Electrons (with no charge) | 29 | 6 |
| Number of Protons | 29 | 6 |
| Mass Number | 63.546 | 12.0107 |
| Number of Neutrons | 35 | 6 |
| Shell structure (Electrons per energy level) | 2, 8, 18, 1 | 2, 4 |
| Electron Configuration | [Ar] 3d10 4s1 | [He] 2s2 2p2 |
| Valence Electrons | 3d10 4s1 | 2s2 2p2 |
| Oxidation State | 1, 2 | -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Atomic Term Symbol (Quantum Numbers) | 2S1/2 | 3P0 |
| Shell structure |  |  |
Isotopes and Nuclear Properties
Copper has 2 stable naturally occuring isotopes while Carbon has 2 stable naturally occuring isotopes.
| Parameter | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Known Isotopes | 52Cu, 53Cu, 54Cu, 55Cu, 56Cu, 57Cu, 58Cu, 59Cu, 60Cu, 61Cu, 62Cu, 63Cu, 64Cu, 65Cu, 66Cu, 67Cu, 68Cu, 69Cu, 70Cu, 71Cu, 72Cu, 73Cu, 74Cu, 75Cu, 76Cu, 77Cu, 78Cu, 79Cu, 80Cu | 8C, 9C, 10C, 11C, 12C, 13C, 14C, 15C, 16C, 17C, 18C, 19C, 20C, 21C, 22C |
| Stable Isotopes | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 63Cu, 65Cu | Naturally occurring stable isotopes: 12C, 13C |
| Neutron Cross Section | 3.78 | 0.0035 |
| Neutron Mass Absorption | 0.0021 | 0.000015 |
Chemical Properties: Ionization Energies and electron affinity
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Valence or Valency | 2 | 4 |
| Electronegativity | 1.9 Pauling Scale | 2.55 Pauling Scale |
| Oxidation State | 1, 2 | -4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Electron Affinity | 118.4 kJ/mol | 153.9 kJ/mol |
| Ionization Energies | 1st: 745.5 kJ/mol 2nd: 1957.9 kJ/mol 3rd: 3555 kJ/mol 4th: 5536 kJ/mol 5th: 7700 kJ/mol 6th: 9900 kJ/mol 7th: 13400 kJ/mol 8th: 16000 kJ/mol 9th: 19200 kJ/mol 10th: 22400 kJ/mol 11th: 25600 kJ/mol 12th: 35600 kJ/mol 13th: 38700 kJ/mol 14th: 42000 kJ/mol 15th: 46700 kJ/mol 16th: 50200 kJ/mol 17th: 53700 kJ/mol 18th: 61100 kJ/mol 19th: 64702 kJ/mol 20th: 163700 kJ/mol 21st: 174100 kJ/mol 22nd: 184900 kJ/mol 23rd: 198800 kJ/mol 24th: 210500 kJ/mol 25th: 222700 kJ/mol 26th: 239100 kJ/mol 27th: 249660 kJ/mol 28th: 1067358 kJ/mol 29th: 1116105 kJ/mol | 1st: 1086.5 kJ/mol 2nd: 2352.6 kJ/mol 3rd: 4620.5 kJ/mol 4th: 6222.7 kJ/mol 5th: 37831 kJ/mol 6th: 47277 kJ/mol |
Physical Properties
Carbon (2.26 g/cm³) is less dense than Copper (8.92 g/cm³). This means that a given volume of Copper will be heavier than the same volume of Carbon. Copper is about 294.7 denser than Carbon
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Phase at STP | Solid | Solid |
| Color | Copper | Black |
| Density | 8.92 g/cm3 | 2.26 g/cm3 |
| Density (when liquid (at melting point)) | 8.02 g/cm3 | - |
| Molar Volume | 7.124 cm3/mol | 5.29 cm3/mol |
Mechanical and Hardness Properties
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
Elastic Properties | ||
| Young Modulus | 130 | - |
| Shear Modulus | 48 GPa | - |
| Bulk Modulus | 140 GPa | 33 GPa |
| Poisson Ratio | 0.34 | - |
Hardness - Tests to Measure of Hardness of Element | ||
| Mohs Hardness | 3 MPa | 0.5 MPa |
| Vickers Hardness | 369 MPa | - |
| Brinell Hardness | 874 MPa | - |
Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
Heat and Conduction Properties | ||
| Thermal Conductivity | 400 W/(m K) | 140 W/(m K) |
| Thermal Expansion | 0.0000165 /K | 0.0000071 /K |
Electrical Properties | ||
| Electrical Conductivity | 59000000 S/m | 100000 S/m |
| Resistivity | 1.7e-8 m Ω | 0.00001 m Ω |
| Superconducting Point | - | - |
Magnetic and Optical Properties
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
Magnetic Properties | ||
| Magnetic Type | Diamagnetic | Diamagnetic |
| Curie Point | - | - |
| Mass Magnetic Susceptibility | -1.08e-9 m3/kg | -6.2e-9 m3/kg |
| Molar Magnetic Susceptibility | -6.86e-11 m3/mol | -7.45e-11 m3/mol |
| Volume Magnetic Susceptibility | -0.00000963 | -0.000014 |
Optical Properties | ||
| Refractive Index | - | 2.417 |
Acoustic Properties | ||
| Speed of Sound | 3570 m/s | 18350 m/s |
Thermal Properties - Enthalpies and thermodynamics
| Property | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Melting Point | 1357.77 K | 3823 K |
| Boiling Point | 3200 K | 4300 K |
| Critical Temperature | - | - |
| Superconducting Point | - | - |
Enthalpies | ||
| Heat of Fusion | 13.1 kJ/mol | 105 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Vaporization | 300 kJ/mol | 715 kJ/mol |
| Heat of Combustion | - | -393.5 J/(kg K) |
Regulatory and Health - Health and Safety Parameters and Guidelines
| Parameter | Copper | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| CAS Number | CAS7440-50-8 | CAS7440-44-0 |
| RTECS Number | RTECSGL5325000 | {RTECSHL4158550, RTECSFF5250100, RTECSMD9659600, N/A} |
| DOT Hazard Class | 4.1 | 4.2 |
| DOT Numbers | 3089 | 1361 |
| EU Number | - | - |
| NFPA Fire Rating | 1 | 1 |
| NFPA Health Rating | 1 | 0 |
| NFPA Reactivity Rating | 0 | 0 |
| NFPA Hazards | - | - |
| AutoIgnition Point | - | - |
| Flashpoint | - | - |
Compare Copper and Carbon With Other Elements
Compare Copper and Carbon with other elements of the periodic table. Explore howCopper and Carbon stack up against other elements of the periodic table. Use our interactive comparison tool to analyze 90+ properties across different metals, non-metals, metalloids, and noble gases. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in engineering, chemistry, electronics, biology, and material science.