s or metal carbides. Theyhave properties ranging from reactive and saltlike; found in metals such assodium, magnesium, and aluminum, to an unreactive and metallic, such as titaniumand niobium (Beggott 4). Carbon compounds containing nonmetals are usually gases or liquids with lowboiling points. Carbon monoxide, a gas, is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.It forms during the incomplete combustion of carbon (Kino*censored*a 215-223). It ishighly toxic to animals because it inhibits the transport of oxygen in the bloodby hemoglobin (WWW 2). Carbon dioxide is a colorless, almost odorless gas thatis formed by the combustion of carbon. It is a product that results fromrespiration in most living organisms and is used by plants as a source of carbon. Frozen carbon dioxide, known as dry ice, is used as a refrigerant.Fluorocarbons, such as Freon, are used as refrigerants (Kino*censored*a 225-226). Organic compounds are those compounds that occur in nature. The simplestorganic compounds consist of only carbon and hydrogen, the hydrocarbons. Thestate of matter for organic compounds depends on how many carbons are containedin it. If a compound has up to four carbons it is a gas, if it has up to 20carbons it is a liquid, and if it has more than 20 carbons it is a solid(Kino*censored*a 230-237). The carbon cycle is the system of biological and chemical processes that makecarbon available to living things for use in tissue building and energy release(Kino*censored*a 242). All living cells are composed of proteins consisting of carbon,hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen in various combinations, and each living organismputs these elements together according to its own genetic code. To do this theorganism must have these available in special compounds built around carbon.These special compounds are produced only by plants, by the process ofphotosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process in which chlorophyll traps and usesenergy from the sun in the form ...
