The element with the chemical symbol "C" is carbon. Carbon is a fundamental building block of life and is the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass. Its unique ability to form four covalent bonds with other elements allows it to create a vast range of organic compounds, including proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and nucleic acids. This versatility makes carbon essential to all known life forms. It exists in various forms, including graphite, diamond, and amorphous carbon, and is also a major component of fossil fuels and synthetic materials. Carbon's significance spans multiple fields, including chemistry, biology, and materials science.