It is a Group 14 element, found free in nature.
From the Latin word carbo: charcoal. Carbon, an element of prehistoric discovery, is very widely distributed in nature. It is found in abundance in the sun, stars, comets, and atmospheres of most planets. Carbon in the form of microscopic diamonds is found in some meteorites. In combination, carbon is found as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the earth and dissolved in all natural waters. It is a component of great rock masses in the form of carbonates of calcium (limestone), magnesium, and iron. Carbon is found free in nature in three allotropic forms; amorphous, graphite and diamond. A fourth form known as white carbon is now thought to exist. Graphite is one of the softest known materials, and diamond is one of the hardest. Carbon is found in combination in hydrocarbons (methane gas, oil, and coal), and carbonates (limestone and dolomite). OCCURRENCE: Carbon ranks nineteenth in the order of abundance of the elements comprising about 0.2% of the earth's outer crust. In the earth's atmosphere, carbon is present as carbon dioxide. Though it is widely distributed in nature mainly in the combined form, only minor amounts are found in the free or elemental state. It is present as main constituent of all animal and vegetable matter SHARE SHARE TWEET EMAIL. The element carbon is not found in a pure form in the human body, but rather in compounds within the body. Carbon constitutes roughly 18 percent of body mass, and millions of carbon atoms form the thousands of molecules in virtually every cell.  Carbon (from Latin: carbo coal) is a chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. On the Periodic table, it is the first (row 2) of six elements in column (group) 14, which have in common the composition of their outer electron shell. In combination with oxygen in carbon dioxide, carbon is found in the Earth's atmosphere (approximately 810 gigatonnes of carbon) and dissolved in all water bodies (approximately 36,000 gigatonnes of carbon). Around 1,900 gigatonnes of carbon are present in the biosphere. Carbon is unique among the elements in the vast number and variety of compounds it can form. With hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements, it forms very large numbers of compounds. Carbon atoms also combine with other carbon atoms. Carbon is found in combination in hydrocarbons (methane gas, oil, and coal), and carbonates (limestone and dolomite). OCCURRENCE: Carbon ranks nineteenth in the order of abundance of the elements comprising about 0.2% of the earth's outer crust. In the earth's atmosphere, carbon is present as carbon dioxide. Though it is widely distributed in nature mainly in the combined form, only minor amounts are found in the free or elemental state. It is present as main constituent of all animal and vegetable matter Carbon is the 15th most abundant element in the Earth's crust, and the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. It is present in all forms of carbon-based life, and in the human body carbon is the second most abundant element by mass (about 18.5%) after oxygen. In combination with oxygen in carbon dioxide, carbon is found in the Earth's atmosphere (approximately 810 gigatonnes of carbon) and dissolved in all water bodies (approximately 36,000 gigatonnes of carbon). Around 1,900 gigatonnes of carbon are present in the biosphere. Carbon is found free in nature in three allotropic forms: amorphous, graphite, and diamond. Graphite is one of the softest known materials while diamond is one of the hardest. Carbon, as microscopic diamonds, is found in some meteorites. Carbon is present as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and dissolved in all natural waters. It is a component of rocks as carbonates of calcium (limestone), magnesium, and iron. The atmosphere of Mars is very thin but what there is contains about 95 % CO 2. Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are chiefly hydrocarbons. Carbon is a Group 14 element and is distributed very widely in nature. It is found in abundance in the sun, stars, comets, and atmospheres of most planets. Carbon is present as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and dissolved in all natural waters. It is a component of rocks as carbonates of calcium (limestone), magnesium, and iron. The atmosphere of Mars is very thin but what there is contains about 95 % CO 2. Coal, petroleum, and natural gas are chiefly hydrocarbons. Carbon is found as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the earth and dissolved in all natural waters. The atmosphere of Mars contains 96% CO 2. It is plentiful in the sun, stars, comets, and the Carbon Monoxide is a gas formed from carbon and oxygen. It has the  formula CO. Carbon dioxide another gas formed from carbon and  oxygen, has the formula CO 2.   A gas, … the molecules of which are made up of one carbon atom bonded  with one oxygen atom. Carbon monoxide gas is clear, odorless and  lethal when inhaled in LOW concentration.
http://periodic.lanl.gov/6.shtml http://www.carondelet.pvt.k12.ca.us/Family/Science/GroupIVA/carbon.htm http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/carbon-human-bodies-4307.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon http://www.carondelet.pvt.k12.ca.us/Family/Science/GroupIVA/carbon.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon http://www.webelements.com/carbon/ http://www.webelements.com/carbon/ http://www.answers.com/Q/Where_is_carbon_monoxide_found
what is carbon & where is it found