6) Write short note on:
Characteristics of carbon.
Answers
Carbon has several allotropes, or different forms in which it can exist. These allotropes include graphite and diamond, which have very different properties.
Despite carbon’s ability to make 4 bonds and its presence in many compounds, it is highly unreactive under normal conditions.
Carbon exists in 3 main isotopes: 12C, 13C, 14C. 14C is radioactive and used in dating carbon-containing samples (radiometric dating).
Terms
half-lifeIn a radioactive decay process, the amount of time required to end up with half of the original (undecayed) material.
radiometric datingA technique used to date materials by comparing the natural abundance of radioactive atoms to their remaining decay products.
allotropesDifferent forms of a chemical element found in its natural state.
Carbon is the chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6 (contains 6 protons in its nucleus). As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. The most common isotope of carbon has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, and has an atomic mass of 12.0107 amu. Its ground state electron configuration is 1s22s22p2. Its oxidation state ranges from 4 to -4, and it has an electronegativity value of 2.55 on the Pauling scale. It is a solid, and sublimes at 3,642 °C (it has the highest sublimation point of all the elements).
Explanation:
•carbon is abundant, common.
•forms strong covalent bonds.
•has four valence electrons.
•variety of shapes.
•bonds with multiple elements