Question

What is the versatile nature of carbon?

Answer 1

Hint: The word versatile nature means, the element or an atom which has a property to react with different chemicals and has a capability to form various types of compounds. Due to the presence of versatile nature the element exists in various forms.
Complete step by step answer:
- In the question it is asked what the versatile nature of carbon is.
- We know that all the organic compounds contain carbon and hydrogen commonly with the combination of other elements.
- Carbon atom belongs to p-block and situated in IV A group with an atomic number of 6.
- The known number of carbon containing compounds is more than 50 lakh till now.
- The versatile nature of carbon is due to the presence of two types of properties to carbon.
- The two properties which will give the name versatile to carbon are tetravalency and catenation.
- We know that carbon has four valence electrons in its outer orbital.
- Because of the presence of four electrons it is going to form four bonds with other atoms.
- The property of the carbon containing compound is going to depend on the other elements which are present with the carbon.
- The other property which makes carbon as versatile in nature is catenation.
- The capability to form long chain compounds by forming a bond is called catenation.
- The carbon has a property to form long chain compounds due to its catenation property.

Note: Through the property of the catenation carbon can form straight chain organic compounds, branched chain organic compounds and closed chain organic compounds. Due to the property of tetravalency in organic compounds there is a existence of different functional groups.