Question

List two reasons for carbon forming a large number of compounds.Name the type of bonding found in most of its compounds.Why does carbon form compounds mainly by this kind of bonding?

Answer 1

Explanation:

(a)carbon can form very large number of compounds because of following reasons:

-High Catenation capacity

-Small size

-Tetra valency

The electronic configuration of carbon is 2, 4. The electron present in its outer-most shell is 4 but for the stability the number of electrons has to be 8. So, carbon can either lose 4 electrons or can gain 4 electrons to complete its octet. But for loosing or gaining electrons from the outer-most shell, we require enormous amount of heat/energy, which is not possible in nature. Hence the four electrons present in the outer-most shell will try to share with other four electrons in order in fulfill their octet. That is why it forms only covalent bonds.