Answer – The symbol ‘C’ stands for the chemical element carbon.
Explanation:
For ease of use and understanding, chemistry uses standardized and widely recognized symbols to represent the various chemical elements. These symbols are derived from abbreviations of the names of the chemicals in the Latin script.
Some of the abbreviations are from the older names of the elements, while others are from more recent names. For instance, the symbol for lead is Pb which comes from the old Latin word for it Plumbum, while helium is represented by a direct shortening – He – of the modern name.
‘C’ is a symbol falling in the latter category, derived from the name of the element that is common usage in modern times – carbon. However, the word ‘carbon’ itself has roots in its Latin name carbo which meant ‘coal’. Carbon is, in fact, the major element in coal.
