Question

What is the atomic number of carbon? Write its electronic configuration. What type of chemical bond is formed by carbon? Why?

Answer 1

Hint: Carbon is the seventeenth most abundant element by mass in the earth's crust and is categorised in group 14. It is widely distributed in nature for free as well as in the combined state. The elemental state is available as coal, graphite, and diamond, however in combined state as metal carbonates, hydro carbonates, and carbon dioxide in the air.

Complete step by step answer:
The carbon atom from the p-block element belongs to Group 14 elements.
The general electronic configuration is $n{{s}^{2}}n{{p}^{2}}$
The carbon atomic number = 6
The electronic configuration of C atom = \[1{{s}^{2}}2{{s}^{2}}2{{p}^{2}}\] = $[He]2{{s}^{2}}2{{p}^{2}}$
In carbon, only s and p orbitals are available for bonding and, therefore, it can accommodate only four pairs of electrons around it.
Due to that carbon show, an oxidation state +4 and the valence is also 4. This would be the maximum limit covalence to four whereas other members can expand their covalence due to the presence of d-orbitals.
Carbon also has the unique ability to form $p\pi -p\pi $ multiple bonds with itself and with other atoms of small size and high electronegativity.
Carbon tends to link with one another through covalent bonds to form chains and rings. This property is called catenation. This is because C-C bonds are very strong.
Organic chemistry is devoted to carbon-containing compounds due to this catenation property of carbon atoms.

Note: Naturally occurring carbon contains stable isotopes C-12, C-13 and C-14. Carbon differs from the rest of the elements in this group due to its smaller size, higher electronegativity, higher ionization enthalpy, and unavailability of d-orbitals. Due to carbons' catenation property, it exhibits allotropic forms. Diamond, graphite, and fullerenes are allotropes of carbon.