Carbon a streak on paper (hence its name, from the Greek verb "γράφειν" which means "to write"), while diamond is the hardest naturally occurring material known. Graphite is a good electrical conductor while diamond has a low electrical conductivity. Under normal conditions, diamond, carbon nanotubes, and graphene have the highest thermal conductivities of all known materials. All carbon allotropes are solids under normal conditions, with graphite being the most thermodynamically stable form at standard temperature and pressure. They are chemically resistant and require high temperature to react even with oxygen. The most common oxidation state of carbon in inorganic compounds is
Asymmetric carbon atoms are not attached to exactly the same things, there are two different "groups" of atoms that the carbon atom in question is attached to, therefore making it an asymmetric carbon atom: A tetrose with 2 asymmetric carbon atoms has 2 = 4 stereoisomers: An aldopentose with 3 asymmetric carbon atoms has 2 = 8 stereoisomers: An aldohexose with 4 asymmetric carbon atoms has 2 = 16 stereoisomers: The four groups of atoms attached to the carbon atom can be arranged in space in two different ways that are mirror images of each other, and which lead to so-called left-handed