In their atomic nuclei carbon all has the same number of protons.
The atomic number or proton number ( symbol Z ) of a chemical element is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom . It is identical to the charge number of the nucleus . Carbon ( from carbo `` coal '' ) is a chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6 . A chemical element or element is a species of atoms having the same number of protons in their atomic nuclei ( i.e. the same atomic number , or Z ) .