Fun With CarbonFun With Carbon

CARBON BASIC’SCARBON BASIC’S Symbol of carbon is CSymbol of carbon is C Atomic number of carbon is 6Atomic number of carbon is 6 Atomic weight of carbon is 12.0107Atomic weight of carbon is 12.0107 The electron configuration of The electron configuration of

carbon is [He]2scarbon is [He]2s222p2p22

The word origin of carbon is, in The word origin of carbon is, in Latin carbo, : coal or charcoal.Latin carbo, : coal or charcoal.

Carbon exists free in nature and Carbon exists free in nature and has been known since prehistoric has been known since prehistoric time.time.

DescriptionsDescriptions

Carbon’s standard state is solid at Carbon’s standard state is solid at 298K or 25 degrees Celsius.298K or 25 degrees Celsius.

In solid form Carbon is black as In solid form Carbon is black as graphite and colorless as a diamond.graphite and colorless as a diamond.

Carbon is a non-metal.Carbon is a non-metal. Carbon is found widely in nature. It Carbon is found widely in nature. It

is found in abundance in suns, stars, is found in abundance in suns, stars, comets, and atmospheres of many comets, and atmospheres of many planets. planets.

Allotropes of CarbonAllotropes of CarbonCarbon is found in Carbon is found in three types in nature, three types in nature, amorphous, graphite, amorphous, graphite, and diamond.and diamond.

Diamond can be found Diamond can be found in volcanic vents such in volcanic vents such as in South Africa. as in South Africa. They also can be They also can be found on the ocean found on the ocean floor off of the African floor off of the African Coast.Coast.

. . .other Forms. . .other Forms

Carbon is found as Carbon is found as carbon dioxide in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the atmosphere and is found in and is found in natural water natural water sources. sources. It can also be found It can also be found in rocks, and also in rocks, and also in coal petroleum in coal petroleum and natural gas.and natural gas.

Forms Cont’Forms Cont’Carbon can also Carbon can also occur as graphite occur as graphite naturally.naturally.Graphite is found in Graphite is found in New York and Texas New York and Texas in the United States, in the United States, Russia, Greenland, Russia, Greenland, Mexico and India.Mexico and India.

FACTSFACTS

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon and Organic chemistry is the study of carbon and its components. its components.

Silicon can be used in place of carbon in Silicon can be used in place of carbon in certain compounds, but unlike carbon it cannot certain compounds, but unlike carbon it cannot form stable compounds with long chains.form stable compounds with long chains.

Carbons Isotopes Carbons Isotopes In 1961 the International Union of Pure and In 1961 the International Union of Pure and

Applied Chemistry adopted the isotope Applied Chemistry adopted the isotope carbon 12.carbon 12.

Carbon 12 can be found on the periodic Carbon 12 can be found on the periodic table.table.

Carbon 14 is used to date minerals such as Carbon 14 is used to date minerals such as wood, archeological specimens.wood, archeological specimens.

Carbon 13 can also be used for isotopic Carbon 13 can also be used for isotopic labeling studies because it is also labeling studies because it is also radioactive, but not as stableradioactive, but not as stable

A new form of carbon, buckminsterfullerene A new form of carbon, buckminsterfullerene or carbon 60, has be found and is being or carbon 60, has be found and is being researched in labs.researched in labs.

Uses Of Carbon

• Carbon is used in many life processes.

• Diamond is used for cutting, drilling, and also as bearings. It is also prized as a gem stone.

• Graphite is used for melting metals for rust protection and in pencils.

• Amorphous carbon is used for removing tastes and odors.

COVALENT BONDING

1)  Covalent compounds generally have much lower melting and boiling points than ionic compounds. 

2)  Covalent compounds are soft and squishy (compared to ionic compounds, anyway).

3)  Covalent compounds tend to be more flammable than ionic compounds.

4)  Covalent compounds don't conduct electricity in water.

5)  Covalent compounds aren't usually very soluble in water.

Covalent Notebook

Methane, CHMethane, CH44

You will be familiar with You will be familiar with drawing methane using drawing methane using dots and crosses diagrams, dots and crosses diagrams, but it is worth looking at its but it is worth looking at its structure a bit more closely.structure a bit more closely.There is a serious mis-There is a serious mis-match between this match between this structure and the modern structure and the modern electronic structure of electronic structure of carbon, carbon, 1s1s22 2s 2s22 2px 2px11 2py 2py11. . The modern structure The modern structure shows that there are only 2 shows that there are only 2 unpaired electrons for unpaired electrons for hydrogens to share with, hydrogens to share with, instead of the 4 which the instead of the 4 which the simple view requires. simple view requires.

Methane, CHMethane, CH44

You can see this more You can see this more readily by using the readily by using the electrons-in-boxes electrons-in-boxes notation. notation.

Only the 2-level electrons Only the 2-level electrons are shown. The 1sare shown. The 1s22 electrons are too deep electrons are too deep inside the atom to be inside the atom to be involved in bonding. involved in bonding.

The only electrons The only electrons directly available for directly available for sharing are the 2p sharing are the 2p electrons. Why then electrons. Why then isn't methane CHisn't methane CH22? ?

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Promotion of an electronPromotion of an electron

When bonds are formed, When bonds are formed, energy is released and the energy is released and the system becomes more system becomes more stable. If carbon forms 4 stable. If carbon forms 4 bonds rather than 2, twice as bonds rather than 2, twice as much energy is released and much energy is released and so the resulting molecule so the resulting molecule becomes even more stable.becomes even more stable.There is only a small energy There is only a small energy gap between the 2s and 2p gap between the 2s and 2p orbitals, and so it pays the orbitals, and so it pays the carbon to provide a small carbon to provide a small amount of energy to promote amount of energy to promote an electron from the 2s to the an electron from the 2s to the empty 2p to give 4 unpaired empty 2p to give 4 unpaired electrons. electrons. The extra energy released The extra energy released when the bonds form more when the bonds form more than compensates for the than compensates for the initial input.initial input.

Hybridization Hybridization

The electrons The electrons rearrange themselves rearrange themselves again in a process again in a process called hybridization. called hybridization. This reorganizes the This reorganizes the electrons into four electrons into four identical hybrid identical hybrid orbitals called sp3 orbitals called sp3 hybrids (because they hybrids (because they are made from one s are made from one s orbital and three p orbital and three p orbitals). orbitals). You should read "sp3" You should read "sp3" as "s p three" - not as as "s p three" - not as "s p cubed"."s p cubed".

Multiple BondingMultiple Bonding

When two atoms share a single pair of electrons, When two atoms share a single pair of electrons, the bond is referred to as a single bond. the bond is referred to as a single bond. Atoms can also share two or three pairs of Atoms can also share two or three pairs of electrons in the aptly named double and triple electrons in the aptly named double and triple bonds. bonds. The first bond between two atoms is called the The first bond between two atoms is called the σσ (sigma) bond. All subsequent bonds are referred (sigma) bond. All subsequent bonds are referred to as to as ππ (pi) bonds. (pi) bonds. In Lewis structures, multiple bonds are depicted In Lewis structures, multiple bonds are depicted by two or three lines between the bonded atoms. by two or three lines between the bonded atoms.