Aliphatic compound hydrogen, other elements can be bound to the carbon chain, the most common being oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and chlorine. The least complex aliphatic compound is methane (CH). Most aliphatic compounds are flammable, allowing the use of hydrocarbons as fuel, such as methane in Bunsen burners and as liquefied natural gas (LNG), and acetylene in welding. The most important aliphatic compounds are: Important examples of low-molecular aliphatic compounds can be found in the list below (sorted by the number of carbon-atoms): Aliphatic compound In organic chemistry, hydrocarbons (compounds composed of carbon and hydrogen) are divided into two classes: aromatic compounds and
Carbon life as we know it. The CNO cycle is an additional hydrogen fusion mechanism that powers stars, wherein carbon operates as a catalyst. Rotational transitions of various isotopic forms of carbon monoxide (for example, CO, CO, and CO) are detectable in the submillimeter wavelength range, and are used in the study of newly forming stars in molecular clouds. Under terrestrial conditions, conversion of one element to another is very rare. Therefore, the amount of carbon on Earth is effectively constant. Thus, processes that use carbon must obtain it from somewhere and dispose of it somewhere else. The paths of carbon