Here's why:

* Physical properties describe a substance's appearance, texture, or how it interacts with energy. Examples include color, density, melting point, and conductivity.

* Chemical properties describe how a substance reacts with other substances. Examples include flammability, reactivity with acid, and oxidation.

Carbon is a fundamental building block of matter, found in many different forms (like graphite, diamond, and carbon dioxide). It's not a description of a substance's behavior, but rather the substance itself.

Think of it like this:

* Water is a substance.

* Boiling point is a physical property of water.

* Reacting with sodium is a chemical property of water.

Carbon is like water - the fundamental substance.