Explanation: Carbons electron configuration shows us 6 total electrons with 4 valence electrons. However at higher energy levels all six of carbons electrons can be used to form covalent bonds.
Related questions What is the Lennard-Jones potential? Why do elements share electrons? Can carbon form 4 bonds? How many atoms can hydrogen bond with? Improve this page Learn More.
Skip to main content. Module 3: Important Biological Macromolecules. Search for:. Carbon and Carbon Bonding Learning Outcomes Discuss why it is said that life is carbon-based and the bonding properties of carbon.
Try It. Did you have an idea for improving this content? Licenses and Attributions. CC licensed content, Shared previously. Non-metal elements can form a covalent bond with another atom of the same element. This happens in some non-metal elements, for example hydrogen or oxygen, when the atoms that join together are of the same element. There are also some compounds, for example hydrazine N 2 H 4 , where molecules contain a bond between two atoms of the same element. Carbon has an unusual ability to bond to itself.
Carbon atoms can join together to make molecules with very long chains of carbon atoms, and there are also compounds where carbon forms rings. As an element, carbon can bond to itself to make even more complex shapes. Molecules containing carbon chains have other non-metal elements, usually hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, attached to the carbon chain.
There are huge numbers of compounds that contain rings or chains of carbon atoms. There is even a whole area of chemistry that studies these compounds - this is called organic chemistry. Humans are carbon-based organisms. Many of the molecules that are essential for human life - carbohydrates, proteins and DNA - contain carbon chains and rings.
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