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saw how the nature of bonding in ionic compounds explains these properties. Let us now study the properties of some carbon compounds. Most carbon compounds are poor conductors of electricity as we have seen in Chapter 2. From the data given in Table 4.1 on the boiling and Table 4.1 Melting points and boiling points of some melting points of the carbon compounds, compounds of carbon we find that these compounds have low Compound Melting Boiling melting and boiling points as compared to ionic compounds (Chapter 3). We can point (K) point (K) conclude that the forces of attraction Acetic acid (CH3COOH) 290 391 between the molecules are not very strong. Since these compounds are Chloroform (CHCl )3 209 334 Ethanol (CH CH OH) 156 351 largely non-conductors of electricity, we 3 2 can conclude that the bonding in these compoundsdoesnotgiverisetoanyions. Methane (CH )4 90 111 In Class IX, we learnt about the combining capacity of various elements and how it depends on the number of valence electrons. Let us now look at the electronic configuration of carbon. The atomic number of carbon is 6. What would be the distribution of electrons in various shells of carbon? How many valence electrons will carbon have? We know that the reactivity of elements is explained as their tendency to attain a completely filled outer shell, that is, attain noble gas configuration. Elements forming ionic compounds achieve this by either gainingorlosingelectronsfromtheoutermostshell.Inthecaseofcarbon, it has four electrons in its outermost shell and needs to gain or lose four electrons to attain noble gas configuration. If it were to gain or lose electrons – 4– (i) ItcouldgainfourelectronsformingC anion.Butitwouldbedifficult for the nucleus with six protons to hold on to ten electrons, that is, four extra electrons. 4+ (ii) It could lose four electrons forming C cation. But it would require a large amount of energy to remove four electrons leaving behind a carbon cation with six protons in its nucleus holding on to just two electrons. Carbon overcomes this problem by sharing its valence electrons with other atoms of carbon or with atoms of other elements. Not just carbon, but many other elements form molecules by sharing electrons in this manner. The shared electrons ‘belong’ to the outermost shells of both the atoms and lead to both atoms attaining the noble gas configuration. Before going on to compounds of carbon, let us look at some simple molecules formed by the sharing of valence electrons. The simplest molecule formed in this manner is that of hydrogen. As you have learnt earlier, the atomic number of hydrogen is 1. Hence hydrogen has one electron in its K shell and it requires one more electron to fill the K shell. So two hydrogen atoms share their electrons to form a molecule of hydrogen, H . This allows each hydrogen atom to attain the 2 Carbon and its Compounds 59 Reprint 2026-27