Question

Why are most carbon compounds poor conductors of electricity?

Answer 1

Hint: Carbon is a chemical element having an atomic number 6. It is represented by the symbol C. It makes up 0.025% of earth’ crust. Carbon is a nonmetal and most of the carbon compounds are covalent compounds.

Complete step by step answer:
a) Carbon is a tetravalent compound, that is, it has 4 electrons in its valence shell. All these 4 electrons are available for covalent bond formation. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table.
b) All carbon compounds are organic compounds and these are usually poor electrical conductors. Carbon has 4 valence electrons which has the ability to form 4 covalent bonds. Therefore, there is no extra electron present in carbon compounds to conduct electricity. They have no free electrons. So carbon compounds do not conduct electricity.

Additional Information: It is due to the property of catenation, that vast carbon compounds or organic compounds are formed.
There are many allotropes of carbon. Out of which one allotrope can conduct electricity. Graphite can conduct electricity. Graphite has \[s{{p}^{2}}\] hybridisation and has 1 free electron from each carbon atom. Thus it can conduct electricity. These are mainly in the form of sheets held together by weak van der-waal forces. Another allotrope which does not conduct electricity is diamond. It does not have any free electrons to conduct electricity and is the hardest substance yet known. Each carbon in diamond is \[s{{p}^{3}}\] hybridised.
Most organic compounds consist of the elements Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen. They form the basis of living organisms.

Note: Carbon rarely forms ionic bonds because of four valence electrons in its valence shell. They mostly form covalent bonds. The only allotrope of carbon which conducts electricity is graphite. But here, we are talking about compounds of carbon not allotropes. So, don’t be confused.