State the reason why carbon can neither form C4 cation nor C4- anions but forms covalent compounds?

Question

State the reason why carbon can neither form C4  cation nor C4- anions but forms covalent compounds?

Answer

Carbon does not form C4^- anion because if it could get 4 elecrons then it has total 10 electrons which is difficult for nucleus to hold on ten electrons with the help of six protons in nucleus.
Carbon does not form C4^+cation because if it will want to loose four electrons then a greater force is required to loose these electrons to leave behind a carbon cation to hold on just two electrons with its six protons.

That's why carbon form covalent compounds in which carbon share electrons with other atoms of carbon or other mono - valent elements .

Answer

*If carbon atom loses its valence electrons,it becomes c4+ ion. but,it is very difficult for the nucleus with 6 protons to hold 2 outer electrons as it requires a large amount of energy.so, carbon cannot form c`4+ ion.If carbon atom gains 4 electrons from other atoms ,it becomes c4- ion.but the nucleus with 6 protons cannot hold 10 outer electrons.so, carbon cannot form c4- ion.*thus the possibility of forming ionic bond is ruled out.carbon form bond by sharing of its valence electrons with other elements.in doing so it attains nearest noble gas configuration.the bond so formed is called covalent bond.

Answer

Carbon is an element which has a greater valency, that is 4 , it means that carbon is a tetravalent element . It cannot give its four electrons to obtain inert gas configuration due to energy considerations.  Also other elements cannot give carbon its four electrons so that it can form an inert gas configuration.  The reason is same :- due to the energy considerations .  Therefore, carbon is an element which neither gains electrons nor loses electrons to get into its stable form ( Octet formation). Hence it form covalent bonds.

Answer

Atomic number of carbon is six. This means that it has four electrons in its outermost shell and it needs four more electrons to attain noble gas electronic configuration. It does not form C4+ cation, as the removal of four valence electrons will require a huge amount of energy. The cation formed will have six protons and two electrons. This makes it highly unstable. Carbon is unable to form C4− anion as its nucleus with six protons will not be able to hold ten electrons. Thus, carbon achieves noble gas electronic configuration by sharing its four electrons with other elements, i.e. it forms covalent compounds.
(i) Covalent compounds are bad conductors of electricity due to lack of free electrons.
(ii) Covalent compounds are formed by covalent bonds and it has been found that the intermolecular forces of attraction in covalent compounds are weak. Thus, their melting and boiling points are quite low

Answer

Introduction:
Carbon is a versatile element that can form a wide range of compounds due to its unique electronic configuration. It commonly forms covalent bonds, where it shares electrons with other atoms. However, carbon cannot form C4+ cations or C4- anions. This is due to several reasons related to its atomic structure and electronegativity.

Reasons why carbon cannot form C4+ cations:
1. Electronic configuration: Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 electrons. Its electronic configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p2, which means it has 4 valence electrons. To form a C4+ cation, carbon would need to lose all its valence electrons and achieve a stable electron configuration. However, losing all four electrons requires a significant amount of energy, making it highly unlikely for carbon to form C4+ cations.

2. Size and charge: Carbon is a relatively small atom with a small atomic radius. When it loses electrons to form a cation, its effective nuclear charge increases, pulling the remaining electrons closer to the nucleus. This leads to increased repulsion between the remaining electrons, making it energetically unfavorable for carbon to form a C4+ cation.

Reasons why carbon cannot form C4- anions:
1. Electronegativity: Carbon has a moderate electronegativity value, which means it has a tendency to attract electrons towards itself in a covalent bond. However, to form a C4- anion, carbon would need to gain four additional electrons, which is energetically unfavorable due to its electronegativity. Carbon is not as electronegative as elements like oxygen or fluorine, which readily accept electrons to form anions.

2. Stability: Carbon prefers to achieve stability by sharing electrons in covalent bonds rather than gaining or losing electrons. Covalent bonds allow carbon to complete its valence shell by sharing electrons with other atoms. This sharing of electrons provides stability and allows carbon to form a variety of compounds, including organic molecules.

Conclusion:
In summary, carbon cannot form C4+ cations or C4- anions due to its electronic configuration, size, charge, electronegativity, and stability. Instead, carbon forms covalent compounds by sharing electrons with other atoms, enabling the formation of diverse and complex molecular structures.

Similar Class 10 Doubts

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