Question

Covalent bonding in carbon compound

Answer 1

Covalent bond in carbon:

• The elements having less than 8 electrons in their outermost shell always have a tendency to attain an octet in order to attain a noble gas configuration by gaining or losing electron forming ionic compounds.

• In case of carbon with atomic number 6 there are four electrons in its outermost shell due to which it is termed as tetravalent.

• It gains or loses four electrons to attain the nearest noble gas configuration.
• Carbon has two possibilities to attain noble gas configuration.

(i) One of the possibilities is to attain four electrons and form C4– anion. But it will be difficult for the nucleus to hold four more electrons firmly.

(ii) Another possibility is to lose four electrons forming C4+ cation. But this will also be difficult due to the requirement of large energy to lose four electrons from the outermost shell. As a result the atom will contain six protons and two electrons.

• Therefore carbon shares its valence electrons present in its outermost shell with the electrons in the outermost shell of the combining atoms of other elements.

• Due to this sharing of four electrons of carbon with the electrons of other combining atoms, carbon is said to form covalent bonds. For example, carbon shares these electrons with four atoms of hydrogen.

Example:

Methane: Now let us take a look at covalent bonding in some carbon elements. Let’s get started with that of Methane. Its chemical formula is CH4. Now that means one atom of carbon combines with four atoms of Hydrogen to make one molecule of methane.

All the hydrogen atoms have only one electron in their outermost shell and carbon has four. So carbon shares each of its four electrons with one atom of carbon. This way carbon now has a complete octet and all four hydrogen atoms have a complete duplet.

Also,don't forget that check attachment.

:))

Answer 2

Explanation:

Carbon can't gain or loose four electrons to acquire stable noble gas configuration. It can do so by sharing its balance electrons with other atoms of carbon or atoms of some other element. Each atom contributes equal number of electrons for sharing in order to acquire the configuration of noble gas such bond is called covalent bond