4. Carbon and its Compounds
The chapter discusses carbon and its compounds, highlighting the significance of carbon in various forms and its ability to form a wide range of chemical compounds through covalent bonding. It covers fundamental concepts of organic compounds, including their structures, properties, reactions, and the roles of carbon in everyday materials like fuels and solvents.
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What we have learnt
- Carbon is a versatile element that forms the basis for all living organisms and many of the things we use.
- This large variety of compounds is formed by carbon because of its tetravalency and the property of catenation that it exhibits.
- Covalent bonds are formed by the sharing of electrons between two atoms, allowing both to achieve a completely filled outermost shell.
- Carbon forms a vast array of compounds due to its ability to bond with itself and various other elements including hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and halogens.
- The ability of carbon to form chains gives rise to a homologous series, where the same functional group is attached to carbon chains of varying lengths.
Key Concepts
- -- Covalent Bond
- A bond formed by the sharing of electrons between two atoms, allowing both to attain noble gas configuration.
- -- Tetravalency
- The ability of carbon to form four covalent bonds with other atoms due to having four valence electrons.
- -- Catenation
- The property of carbon to form long chains or rings by bonding with other carbon atoms, leading to the formation of large and complex molecules.
- -- Homologous Series
- A series of compounds that differ from each other by a constant unit, typically characterized by having the same functional group.
- -- Functional Groups
- Specific groups of atoms that impart characteristic chemical properties to organic compounds, influencing their reactivity and interactions.
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