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Carbon is quite a special element. It can form 2 double bonds, and is able to form long chains with itself, C-C bonds are also strong. This makes it ideal as the basis of living organisms.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agobecause carbon make take a many compounds
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Why carbon is organic?
Carbon is the main component of biologic materials; carbon has the ability to form many bonds and compounds.
What do elements provide for the biological world?
Carbon is the most important element to living things because it can form many different kinds of bonds and form essential compounds.
What characteristic of carbon atoms allows the formation of all of these compounds?
Carbon has four electrons in its valence shell (outershell). Since this energy shell can hold eight electrons, each carbon atom can share electrons with up to four different atoms. Carbon can combine with other elements as well as with itself. This allows carbon to form many different compounds.
What properties of carbon explain carbons ablilty to form many different macromolecules?
Carbon has many compounds because it is capable of bonding with many different elements. First, carbon has 6 total electrons, filling the 1s2 and 2s2 shells completely, with 2 electrons in the 2p orbital. Since it has a relatively low electronegative, it will attempt to complete its octet (a full outer electron shell) either by losing 4 electrons (the 2s2 and 2p2 electrons) or by gaining 4 electrons (to fill the 2p shell from 2p2 to 2p6). In compounds, carbon can either donate or accept electrons, allowing it to bond to more electronegative compounds like oxygen, or fluorine, or less electronegative compounds like hydrogen. Since it forms compounds with many other elements, that takes care of the many carbon compounds Polymers are possible because carbon bonds with itself into long chains by lining up side-by-side, while many other elements that bond with themselves will bend into shapes that don't allow for long chains to be formed. Since carbon can form long chains of itself and attach to many other elements, polymers of different types can be made.
What about carbon atoms make them so unique and important?
The 4 outer electrons put it right at the point in reactions where it can form compounds consisting of many things, the most important of which is combining with itself as well as other elements. This is critical in forming long chain carbon compounds ... that type of material that you and I are formed of.
What characteristic of carbon atoms allows the formations of compounds?
Carbon can atoms can form four covalent bonds with many, many different elements.
What do carbons special bonding ability allow carbon to do?
Carbon's special bonding ability allows it to form many different compounds.
What compound is formed when hydrogen and carbon combined?
Hydrogen and carbon combine to form many, many different compounds known as hydrocarbons. Please see the link.
Why can carbon and hydrogen form so many different hydrogen carbons?
Carbon and hydrogen can form so many different hydrocarbons because the numbers of carbon atoms could, in theory, be infinite. Also, carbon atoms can form double bonds and triple bonds with one another.
How many ionic bonds does carbon form in its compounds?
Carbon normally forms four covalent bonds in its compounds, not ionic bonds.
Why are there more materials than elements?
Because the elements can combine in many ways to form compounds, and compounds can be mixed in many differed ways. Moreover, some elements occur in different forms. The elements carbon and hydrogen alone combine for form thousands of compounds.
Why carbon is organic?
Carbon is the main component of biologic materials; carbon has the ability to form many bonds and compounds.
What do elements provide for the biological world?
Carbon is the most important element to living things because it can form many different kinds of bonds and form essential compounds.
What characteristic of carbon atoms allows the formation of all of these compounds?
Carbon has four electrons in its valence shell (outershell). Since this energy shell can hold eight electrons, each carbon atom can share electrons with up to four different atoms. Carbon can combine with other elements as well as with itself. This allows carbon to form many different compounds.
Why does carbon form the basis for so many different kinds of compounds?
Carbon has an unusual property called catenation: interconnexion of cabon atoms by C-C bonds in a huge variety.
What are the different carbon compounds?
To list even a percent of all known carbon compounds would be extremely difficult for anyone; there are just too many.
Why does carbon form the basis fo so many different kinds of compounds?
Because it can bond so well with itself. Note that its valance is 4, and that carbon can single, double, triple, or quadruple bond to carbon.
