Question

"Understand that the number of covalent bonds an atom can form is directly related to the number of electrons in its own valence shell. How many bonds can carbon form (what is the most, what is the fewest)?" This question is from my functional bio review. Carbon can form 4 bonds is my understanding, so does that mean that the most is 4 and the fewest is 1? or 0?

Answer 1

Carbon atom has 4 electrons in its outer shell, thus 4 is the maximum number of electrons that can participate in formation of bond from carbon, hence the most number of bonds that a carbon atom can form is 4. As for the least amount, in its elemental state carbon will form 0 bonds. However, in nature, carbon always exist in a tetravalent state in order to complete its octet in the outer shell. As such, in nature the least amount of bonds that can exist in carbon is 2 of which one can be a triple bond that shares 6 electrons between two atoms and 1 single bond that shares 2 electrons between two atoms, or it can form electrovalent or ionic bond such as in CaC₂.