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Carbon has four electrons in its outer shell. The most stable electron configuration for carbon (as for most elements) is to have eight electrons in the outer shell. So if carbon can form 4 bonds, it has 4 more electrons to share and will effectively have the stable arrangement of 8 electrons. If carbon forms fewer than 4 bonds, the result is not as stable as 4 bonds, but it is still more stable than having only 4 electrons in the outer shell.
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∙ 13y ago
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∙ 14y agoatoms always want to complete their outer shell. There are 8 electrons to complete the second shell. Carbon's second shell has 4, so it can either drop down to its last shell by losing 4 or complete its shell by gaining 4. either way, it makes 4 bonds.
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∙ 16y agoCarbon atoms have the ability to bond with up to four other atoms at once, because carbon has an atomic number of 6 and has 2 electon shells. In the first shell you can have 2 electrons and the second shell (valence shell) carbon only has 4 valence electrons, and that means that it is more electronegative and wants to bond with 4 other atoms because it has 4 unpaired electrons in the outer shell.
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∙ 15y agoBecause carbon has a valency of 4, i.e. it has four electrons in its outer shell.
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∙ 14y agoCarbon has four electrons in its valence shell, and also four "empty" places. This makes it ideal for forming four covalent bonds. Members of the same group are similar, such as silicon.
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∙ 11y agocarbon atoms contains 4 vallance electrons on the outermost shell and as the results carbon can bond to 4 other atoms.
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∙ 11y agoCarbon has 4 valence electrons and it wants to have 8. by covalently bonding to 4 other atoms, it shares their electrons and gives itself 8 valence electrons.
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∙ 11y agoBecause carbon has four valence electrons.
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∙ 15y agoBecause carbon has four electrons.
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Is carbon dioxide a covalent bond and why?
Yes, carbon dioxide is a covalent molecule. It consist of a carbon atom, which forms a double covalent bond to two oxygen atoms around it. The angles between the bonds are 180o and as such carbon dioxide is a linear molecule.
Why is carbon especially well suited to serve as the structural foundation of many biological molecules?
A. CHARACTERISTICS OF CARBON ATOMS: __Ready availability, abundance __Atom small in size, outer (valence) electrons close to nucleus, so forms stable (strong) bonds __4 electrons in a valence-capacity of 8, forms 4 bonds to 4 other atoms __Forms covalent bonds __Can bond to other carbon atoms, no upper limit to size of carbon compounds __Bond angles form tetrahedron, resulting in 3-D structures, chains, rings, not just planar __Can form multiple C-C, C=C, C=C bonds __Can form isomers, different structures - same number and kind of atoms __Functional groups/combine with a variety of other elements __BONUS POINT: if get 3 above - Uniqueness, only Carbon has all of these characteristics
Is glucose a ionic or molecular compound?
Table sugar is a molecular compound. Ionic compounds are in general formed between a metal and a nonmetal. The exceptions are polyatomic ions that can also form ionic compounds, like ammonium or hydronium. Table salt (sodium chloride) is an example of a common ionic compound.
Carbon is able to bond with atoms of other elements in many different ways because it has how many electrons?
Because it has four Valence electrons
Why do atoms have a covalent bond?
Covalent bonds are formed when atoms share electrons --- they both need the shared electron(s) to fill their outer electron shell. Ionic bonds are when one atom gives electron(s) to another atom --- the atom that has given the electron(s) has a positive charge and the atom that received the electron(s) has a negative charge
How many covalent bonds with other atoms is a carbon atom able to work?
Carbon can bond to a maximum of four other atoms.
Why does carbon bond with so many different elements?
Carbon can bond with itself, and many other elements.
What unusual property do carbon atoms have that other elements do not have?
Carbon atoms have the unusual property of being able to bond with each other to form very long chains. Hope this helps!
How would the variety of the organic compounds be different if carbon had seven electrons in its outermost energy level instead of four?
A carbon atom has four electrons in it's outermost energy level. Most atoms become stable when their outermost energy level contains eight electrons. A carbon atom therefore readily forms four covalent bonds with the atoms of other elements.
Is carbon dioxide a covalent bond and why?
Yes, carbon dioxide is a covalent molecule. It consist of a carbon atom, which forms a double covalent bond to two oxygen atoms around it. The angles between the bonds are 180o and as such carbon dioxide is a linear molecule.
Why is carbon especially well suited to serve as the structural foundation of many biological molecules?
A. CHARACTERISTICS OF CARBON ATOMS: __Ready availability, abundance __Atom small in size, outer (valence) electrons close to nucleus, so forms stable (strong) bonds __4 electrons in a valence-capacity of 8, forms 4 bonds to 4 other atoms __Forms covalent bonds __Can bond to other carbon atoms, no upper limit to size of carbon compounds __Bond angles form tetrahedron, resulting in 3-D structures, chains, rings, not just planar __Can form multiple C-C, C=C, C=C bonds __Can form isomers, different structures - same number and kind of atoms __Functional groups/combine with a variety of other elements __BONUS POINT: if get 3 above - Uniqueness, only Carbon has all of these characteristics
How carbon atom able to form many carbon atom?
There are multiple types of carbon atoms (Carbon 12, Carbon 13, and Carbon 14).
What is the role of carbon in the molecular diversity of life?
Carbon can form large chains and complex molecules with itself and other atoms.
Why carbon form millions and billions of compound?
Carbon forms so many compounds because each carbon atom is able to form stable chemical bonds with up to four other atoms.
Is glucose a ionic or molecular compound?
Table sugar is a molecular compound. Ionic compounds are in general formed between a metal and a nonmetal. The exceptions are polyatomic ions that can also form ionic compounds, like ammonium or hydronium. Table salt (sodium chloride) is an example of a common ionic compound.
How are carbon atoms able to form organic compounds?
Yes, carbon (C) forms more compounds than all the other elements combined. Any compound that contains carbon is considered an organic compound.
Carbon is able to bond with atoms of other elements in many different ways because it has how many electrons?
Because it has four Valence electrons
