CBSE Chemistry carbon and its compounds until chains, branches and rings

You're about to dive into the world of carbon, an element that's literally everywhere – in you, in the air you breathe, and in all the living things around us. It's so important that an entire branch of chemistry, called organic chemistry, is dedicated to studying its compounds.

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The number of electron pairs shared determines the type of covalent bond:

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You know that atoms try to achieve a stable electron configuration, usually by having a full outer shell (like noble gases). For many elements, this means gaining or losing electrons to form ions. But carbon is different.

Carbon has an atomic number of 6. This means it has 6 protons and 6 electrons. Its electron configuration is 2, 4. So, it has 4 electrons in its outermost shell (valence shell).

You know carbon is super important, right? It's the backbone of all life on Earth! But where do we find it, and what forms does it take?

Carbon occurs in two main ways:

• Free State: This is when carbon exists as pure elemental carbon, not bonded to other elements.
• Combined State: This is when carbon is bonded with other elements to form compounds.

Let's break down where you find it in each state: