- Carbon and its valence electrons
- The 3 most prominent applications of carbon
- 1- Medicine
- 2- Polymers
- 3- Energy
- References
The number of valence electrons that carbon has is 4. Valence electrons are negatively charged particles and are part of the external structure of the atom of the different elements of the periodic table.
Valence electrons are those electrons that are in the outermost shell of an atom and are responsible for the interaction of each element with others to form bonds, and for their stability and strength.
An analogy for understanding how bonds are formed is to think of valence electrons as one hand gripping another.
The outermost layers of valence have to be filled to be completely stable, and this is how some bonds are formed.
Carbon and its valence electrons
As previously stated, the carbon atom has four valence electrons because it belongs to group IV A.
One of the important characteristics of carbon is the ease of bonding due to these four valence electrons.
The ease of making bonds that carbon has is also due to the fact that it is an atom with a smaller atomic radius compared to other elements.
This gives you more freedom to make complex chains and structures. This is why carbon is the mainstay of organic chemistry.
Carbon is also a very noble element in terms of the number of forms it can take on its own: from graphite to diamond.
The properties of this element change considerably when having one form or another.
Importance of valence electrons
The great importance of valence electrons is that thanks to these and their structure, it is possible to understand the bonds that are created between one element or another. It can be seen how stable this link is.
Thanks to studies and advances in chemistry, it is also possible to predict how a reaction will occur under certain conditions, which has resulted in many applications for modern society.
The 3 most prominent applications of carbon
Carbon is the main element for organic chemistry, so this whole branch of chemistry is based on it, its structure and its properties.
The applications of organic chemistry are very varied and very valuable in society. Some examples are the following:
1- Medicine
To understand various concepts within biochemistry and the functioning of the human body at different levels, it is essential to know organic chemistry and how molecules interact within the body.
Medications are made based on reactions that can form in the body.
2- Polymers
Polymers are found in most of the things that are consumed today, especially in plastics.
3- Energy
Organic chemistry is widely used in the refining and transformation of raw materials, such as oil, for the creation of fuels.
References
- Ynduráin, FJ (2006). Electrons, Neutrinos, and Quraks: Particle Physics for the New Millennium (2nd ed.). Barcelona: Criticism.
- Bunton, CA (1963). Nucleophilic substitution at a saturated carbon atom. New York; Amsterdam;: Elsevier Pub. Co.
- Chinn, LJ (1971). Selection of oxidants in synthesis: Oxidation at the carbon atom. New York: M. Dekker.
- Vollhardt, KPC, & Schore, NE (2014). Organic chemistry: Structure and function (7th ed.). New York: WH Freeman and Company.
- Smith, M. (2010). Organic chemistry: An acid-base approach (Second ed.). Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.
- Taylor, GA (1987). Organic chemistry for students of biology and medicine (3rd ed.). New York; Harlow, Essex, England;: Longman Scientific & Technical.
- Pearce, EM, National Research Council (US). Naval Studies Board, National Research Council (US). Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Applications, & National Research Council (US). Panel on Polymers. (nineteen ninety five). polymers. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.