Carbon and its Compound | General Awareness for SSC CGL PDF Download

Types of Compounds

1. Organic Compounds
2. Inorganic Compounds

Organic Compounds

• Comprised mainly of carbon and form the basis of all living organisms.

The Covalent Bond

• Carbon always forms covalent bonds.
• Covalent bonds are formed by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Noble Gas Configuration of Carbon

• Carbon is tetravalent and does not form ionic bonds by losing or gaining four electrons (C⁴⁺or C^4-).
• It forms bonds by sharing electrons with other atoms, such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and chlorine, to achieve a stable noble gas configuration.

Examples of Covalent Bonds

• Hydrogen (H₂): Single bond between hydrogen atoms.
  
• Oxygen (O₂): Double bond between oxygen atoms.
  
• Nitrogen (N₂): Triple bond between nitrogen atoms.
  
• Water (H₂O): Single covalent bonds between one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms.
  

Physical Properties of Covalent Compounds

• Low melting and boiling points due to weak intermolecular forces.
• Poor conductors of electricity as electrons are shared between atoms, forming no charged particles.

Versatile Nature of Carbon

• Catenation: Carbon can form long chains, branched chains, and rings by bonding with other carbon atoms using single, double, or triple covalent bonds.
• Tetravalency: With four valence electrons, carbon can form bonds with four atoms, including other carbons, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur.

• Compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon.
• Two types: Saturated Hydrocarbons and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons.

Saturated Hydrocarbons

• Single bonds between carbon atoms.
• Example: Alkanes with the general formula C_nH_2n+2.

Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

• Double or triple bonds between carbon atoms.
• Alkenes: Double bonds, general formula C_nH_2n.
• Alkynes: Triple bonds, general formula C_nH_2n-2.

• Ethane (C₂H₆): Example of a saturated hydrocarbon.
  
• Ethene (C₂H₄): Example of an unsaturated hydrocarbon (alkene).
  
• Ethyne (C₂H₂): Example of an unsaturated hydrocarbon (alkyne).
  

1. Straight (unbranched) chain

   • Example: Propane (C₃H₈).
     

2. Branched

   • Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures are called structural isomers (phenomenon: structural isomerism).
     

3. Cyclic

   • Example: Cyclohexane (C₆H₁₂).
     

• In hydrocarbon chains, one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by other atoms according to their valency.
• These atoms or groups of atoms (heteroatoms) make carbon compounds reactive and determine their properties.

A series of compounds with the same functional group replacing hydrogen in a carbon chain.

• Same general formula.
• Differ by a –CH₂ group, with a molecular mass difference of 14 amu.
• Same chemical properties with gradual changes in physical properties.

1. Identify the number of carbon atoms in the compound.
2. Use suffixes or prefixes to indicate the functional group.

Combustion:

• Carbon and its compounds are used as fuels due to their ability to burn in air, releasing a lot of heat energy.
• Saturated hydrocarbons burn with a blue, non-sooty flame.
• Unsaturated hydrocarbons burn with a yellow, sooty flame due to incomplete oxidation.

Oxidation:

• Alcohols can be converted to carboxylic acids using oxidizing agents like alkaline KMnO4 or acidic potassium dichromate.
  

Addition Reaction:

• Unsaturated hydrocarbons add hydrogen in the presence of catalysts like palladium or nickel.
• Example: Hydrogenation of vegetable oils to produce vegetable ghee.

Substitution Reaction:

• Occurs in hydrocarbons where hydrogen atoms are replaced by other atoms.