Question

19. State the reason why carbon can neither form C4+ cation nor C4- anion but forms covalent compounds. Also state the reasons to explain why covalent compounds

(a) are bad conductor of electricity?

(b) have low melting and boiling points?​

Answer 1

Explanation:

Covalent compounds are bad conductors of electricity because of the lack of free delocalized electrons or ions. All of the electrons in covalent compounds are all bonded to something so there aren't any charged particles to carry a charge. (graphite is an exception)

Covalent compounds have low melting and boiling points because the intermolecular forces among the molecules is weak and can easily be broken allowing it to change it's state of matter easily. (Diamond is an exception)

Carbon cannot form C4+ because a massive amount of energy is required to remove four electrons so instead carbon prefers to share electrons. It also can't form C4- because as electrons are being added to carbon the internal repulsion will cause to lose those electrons very easily so it would rather share electrons. Also, it is possible to obtain these ions, it's just very difficult and requires a lot of energy.

Hope this helps