Question

Explain the following:

Tetravalency

Answer 1

Carbon has four valence electrons (At. no. of C = 6; Elec. Config. = 2, 4). It forms covalent bonds by sharing its four electrons with other atoms. This characteristic of the carbon atom, by virtue of which it forms four covalent bonds, is called the tetravalency of carbon.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
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×\phantom{.}\ce{C}\phantom{.}×\\
×
\end{array}\]

\[\begin{array}{cc}
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—\phantom{.}\ce{C}\phantom{.}—\\
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\end{array}\]