Which answer to explain why carbon atoms tend to make 4 covalent bonds? which answer to explain why carbon atoms tend to make 4 covalent bonds? the valence shell needs 8 electrons. the first electron shell has 4 orbitals. the carbon nucleus has 4 protons. all of the above. none of the above; carbon makes 3 covalent bonds?

Carbon atoms tend to make 4 covalent bonds because the valence shell needs 8 electrons. For atoms to be stable, they must have filled outermost energy shells called valence shells. This is called the octet rule. Only noble gases (Group 8) elements have naturally filled valence shells which makes them stable elements. All other atoms tend to lose, gain, or share electrons to get the same electron configuration as these noble gases. Metals easily lose their electrons to non-metals which are readily accepting electrons. The bond that results from this transfer of electrons is called an ionic bond. Non-metals tend to share their electrons with other non-metals forming covalent bonds.

FURTHER EXPLANATION

The first electron shell has 4 orbitals.

FALSE The distribution of the electrons in the carbon atom is shown in the following electron configuration:  

The coefficients of the letters indicate the electron shell and the superscript tells the how many electrons occupy the orbitals. For carbon there are only two electron shells with electrons: electron shell 1 which has the s orbital and electron shell 2 with the s and three p orbitals.  

Therefore, carbon only has one orbital in the first electron shell.

The carbon nucleus has 4 protons.

FALSE The number of protons in an atom gives it its unique identity. The proton count is given by the atomic number. The atomic number of C is 6. Therefore, it has 6 protons in its nucleus. The atom with 4 protons is Beryllium (Be).

All of the above

FALSE Two statements above are not true.

Carbon makes 3 covalent bonds

FALSE Carbon forms 4 covalent bonds because it can share 4 unpaired electrons with other atoms. It may form single, double. Or triple covalent bonds with other C atoms.

LEARN MORE  

•Ionization Energy

•Atomic Number

•Ionic Compound

Keywords: octet rule, valence electrons, electron configuration