Page 155 - The Creation Of The Universe

Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar) 153

One natural form of pure carbon is graphite.
This element however is able to form an extra-
ordinary range of different substances when it
combines with the atoms of other elements.
The main structure of the human body is the
result of the different chemical bonds that car-
bon is capable of entering into.

Some carbon compounds' molecules consist of just a few atoms; others
contain thousands or even millions. Furthermore, no other element is as
versatile as carbon is in forming molecules with such durability and stabil-
ity. To quote David Burnie in his book Life:
Carbon is a very unusual element. Without the presence of carbon and
its unusual properties, it is unlikely that there would be life on Earth. 86
Concerning carbon, the British chemist Nevil Sidgwick writes in
Chemical Elements and their Compounds:
Carbon is unique among the elements in the number and variety of the
compounds which it can form. Over a quarter of a million have al-
ready been isolated and described, but this gives a very imperfect idea
of its powers, since it is the basis of all forms of living matter. 87
For reasons of both physics and chemistry, it is impossible for life to be
based on any element other than carbon. At one time, silicon was proposed

as another element on which life might be based. We now know however
that this conjecture is impossible. To quote Sidgwick again:
We know enough now to be sure that the idea of a world in which sil-
icon should take the place of carbon as the basis of life is impossible… 88

Covalent Bonds

The chemical bonds that carbon enters into when forming organic com-
pounds are called "covalent bonds". A covalent bond is said to occur when
two atoms share their electrons.
The electrons of an atom occupy specific orbital shells that are centered