Explain the properties of Carbon
Answers
Answer:
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 has the following properties:
Physical properties:
⋅ Carbon is a soft, dull gray or black non-metal.
⋅ It exists in two forms i.e. crystalline and non crystalline forms. This property is termed as allotropy.
Chemical properties:
The chemical properties of carbon can be explained on the basis of reactions which carbon and its compound show.
1. Combustion reaction:
Carbon, in all its allotropic forms, burns in oxygen to give carbon dioxide along with the release of heat and light, This reaction is termed as combustion reaction.
The chemical equation to represent the burning of carbon is as follows:
CarbonC(s)+OxygenO2(g)→CarbondioxideCO2(g)+Heat+Light
2. Oxidation reaction: Pure carbon is oxidized to give carbon dioxide when burnt in air. Similarly, hydrocarbons can be easily oxidized on burning. Substances that have the ability to oxidize other substances are known as oxidizing agents. Alkaline potassium permanganate and potassium dichromate are examples of oxidizing agents. For example, the oxidation of ethanol in the presence of potassium permanganate leads to the formation of ethanoic acid.
EthanolCH3CH2−OHΔAlkalineKMnO4CH3−EthanoicacidCOOH
3. Addition reaction: In an addition reaction, a substance is added to a hydrocarbon. A single product is obtained in this reaction. In unsaturated hydrocarbons, double or triple bonds are present. Atoms of different elements like hydrogen, chlorine, bromine etc. are added to these compounds across the double or triple bonds using different reagents and catalysts.
4. Substitution reaction: It is a type of reaction in which an atom or a group of atoms replaces another atom present in a molecule undergoing the reaction. For example, chlorine replaces hydrogen from methane in the presence of sunlight.
CH4+Cl2⟶SunlightCH3Cl+HCl