3 Answers | Add Yours
The element carbon is renown for its property of catenation, which is the ability to link together and form long chains. Carbon does this so well, there is a branch of chemistry known as organic chemistry, which is the chemistry of the element carbon and all the various catenaic chains it forms. Carbon possesses this unique property due to the fact it has four single electrons in its outer electron orbital. These electrons serve to form covalent bonds with electrons from other elements, most notably hydrogen. Carbon chains can start as simple as one carbon with four hydrogens bonded to it, which is methane. It can then range as high as fifty carbon atoms, all strung together in one long chain. These higher carbon-count chains are not as stable, and tend to break down easily. Covalent bonding involves the sharing of electrons between two elements.
carbon has this unique quality to link with other elements , and the brach of Chemistry which deals with this step is Organic Chemistry.
carbon has 4 electron in its outermost shell it help C to join with four more elements to complete its outermost shell , so C make a long chain with other carbon atoms.this process is catenation..hope u get answer.
the capability of atoms of same elements to link together in the form of chains is called catenation. carbon possess the greater ability of catenation.
We’ve answered 315,697 questions. We can answer yours, too.Ask a question