Final answer:
The statement is generally true, carbon burns in oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, releasing heat and light.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that carbon, in all its allotropic forms, burns in oxygen to give carbon dioxide is generally true but it depends on the availability of oxygen. If adequate oxygen is present, carbon will combust to form carbon dioxide (CO₂), releasing energy in the form of heat and light. This process is easily observed when substances like wood or coal, which have carbon in them, are burned in a campfire.
However, when there is a limited supply of oxygen, carbon can burn to produce carbon monoxide (CO) instead of carbon dioxide. This is an incomplete combustion process.
During cellular respiration, the chemistry is somewhat similar to the combustion of carbon. Organic compounds such as carbohydrates are broken down with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.
However, while combustion in fires releases all energy as heat and light, cellular respiration is more efficient as it captures some of this energy in the form of ATP, with the remainder released as body heat.