Carbon is the fourth most common chemical element by mass in the universe. Hydrogen, helium, and oxygen are the first three most common. Carbon can be found in the sun, the stars, comets, and also in atmospheres of most planets. Some meteorites also contain tiny diamonds that were formed when the solar system was still gas surrounding a new-formed star. These tiny diamonds might also be formed when the meteorite impacts and the immense pressure and temperature that creates.

Along with most other planets, carbon is found in Earth’s atmosphere along with carbon dioxide and oxygen. We can also find it on Earth in the water dissolved. It is estimated that 36,000 gigatonnes of carbon is in the bodies of water on earth. About 1900 gigatonnes of carbon are in the biosphere. Carbon in the form of hydrocarbons such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas has about 900 gigatonnes on Earth. Oil reserves amount to about 150 gigatonnes. Carbon is also in abundance in the form of “unconventional” gases. The individual allotropes of carbon make up another large amount of substance. Graphite is very commonly found in the U.S., Russia, Mexico, Greenland and India. Diamonds are found in volcanic pipes. Most of these deposits are in Africa, however there are some in Arkansas, Canada, Russia, Brazil and Australia. Though most diamonds are found naturally, about 30% of diamonds in the United States are being made synthetically.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon,

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