The-carbon-atom

Carbon Atom

The basic unit of an element that can form various types of chemical bonds.

Organic Compounds

Compounds that contain the element carbon, which are found in living organisms.

Hydrocarbons

Compounds composed exclusively of hydrogen and carbon.

Covalent Bond

A type of chemical bond formed when two atoms share a pair of electrons.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outer energy level of an atom that are involved in forming bonds.

Single Bond

A bond where two atoms share one pair of electrons.

Double Bond

A bond where two atoms share two pairs of electrons.

Triple Bond

A bond where two atoms share three pairs of electrons.

Methane (CH4)

The simplest organic molecule, composed of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms.

Carbon Backbone

The fundamental structure of organic macromolecules formed by carbon atoms.

Group 14

The group in the periodic table where carbon is located, which influences its bonding behavior.

Electron Configuration

The distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals, for carbon it is 1s2 2s2 2p2.

Triple Bond Compounds

Compounds that contain triple bonds, resulting in atom sharing of three pairs of electrons.

Carbon Dating

A method used to determine the age of organic materials by measuring the amount of Carbon-14.

Covalent Bond Formation

The process by which carbon atoms share electrons to achieve full outer energy levels.

Carbon Versatility

The ability of carbon to form a wide variety of compounds due to its bonding capabilities.

Chains and Rings

Structural forms that carbon can adopt, including straight chains, branched chains, and cyclic structures.

Amorphous Carbon

A form of carbon that lacks a defined crystalline structure, often used in inks and batteries.

Diamond

A crystalline form of carbon that is hard and used in jewelry and industrial processes.

Graphite

A crystalline form of carbon used as pencil lead and in steel production.

Stable Outer Energy Level

A configuration having eight valence electrons, making an atom stable.