What is a unique characteristics of carbon?

Answer 1

Carbon has a number of unique properties which influence how it behaves and how it bonds with other atoms:

• Carbon has four valence electrons which means that each carbon atom can form four bonds with other atoms. Because of this, long chain structures can form. These chains can either be unbranched (Figure 1) or branched (Figure 2). Because of the number of bonds that carbon can form with other atoms, organic compounds can be very complex.Figure 1: An unbranched carbon chain

  Figure 2: A branched carbon chain

• Because of its position on the Periodic Table, most of the bonds that carbon forms with other atoms are covalent. Think for example of a bond. The difference in electronegativity between the two atoms is zero, so this is a pure covalent bond. In the case of a bond, the difference in electronegativity between carbon (2,5) and hydrogen (2,1) is so small that bonds are almost purely covalent. The result of this is that most organic compounds are non-polar. This affects some of the properties of organic compounds.

Answer 2

1a. A single covalent bond between two carbon atoms is quite strong.

1b. Carbon compounds are not extremely reactive under ordinary conditions.

1c. A wide variety of carbon compounds is possible since carbon can form up to four single covalent bonds.

Answer 3

Carbon has a unique ability to form long chains of itself because the carbon-carbon bond is very strong and stable. This is due to catenation, meaning carbon has the ability to bond to itself primarily because of the bond energy between carbons.

Answer 4

Carbon is one of the few elements that can bond with itself, making ring, chain or cage molecule. This process is known as Catenation.

Answer 5

it has 4 unpaired electrons are looking for partners to share electrons with in order to get a full outer shell

Answer 6

Carbon can get attached to other four atoms, including other four carbon atoms. Carbon can form the chain and that is unique to this atom.