Carbon is a nonmetal in group 14 of the periodic table. Like other group 14 compounds, carbon has four valence electrons. Valence electrons are the electrons in the outer energy level of an atom that are involved in chemical bonds. The valence electrons of carbon are shown in Figure 9.1. Because it has four valence electrons, carbon needs four more electrons to fill its outer energy level. It can achieve this by forming four covalent bonds. Covalent bonds are chemical bonds that form between nonmetals. In a covalent bond, two atoms share a pair of electrons. By forming four covalent bonds, carbon shares four pairs of electrons, thus filling its outer energy level. A carbon atom can form bonds with other carbon atoms or with the atoms of other elements. Carbon often forms bonds with hydrogen. You can see an example in Figure 9.2. The compound represented in the figure is methane (CH4 ). The carbon atom in a methane molecule forms bonds with four hydrogen atoms. The diagram on the left shows all the shared electrons. The diagram on the right represents each pair of shared electrons with a dash (). This type of diagram is called a structural formula. Carbon can form single, double, or even triple bonds with other carbon atoms. In a single bond, two carbon atoms share one pair of electrons. In a double bond, they share two pairs of electrons, and in a triple bond they share three pairs of electrons. Examples of compounds with these types of bonds are shown in Figure 9.3. Because of carbons ability to form so many covalent bonds, it often forms polymers. A polymer is a large molecule that consists of many smaller molecules joined together by covalent bonds. The smaller molecules are called monomers. (The prefix mono means "one," and the prefix poly means "many.") Polymers may consist of just one type of monomer or of more than one type. Polymers are a little like the strings of beads in Figure 9.4. What do the individual beads represent? Many polymers occur naturally. You will read about natural polymers in this chapters "Hydrocarbons" and "Carbon and Living Things" lessons. Other polymers are synthetic. This means that they are produced in labs or factories. Synthetic polymers are created in synthesis reactions in which monomers bond together to form much larger compounds. Plastics are examples of synthetic polymers. The plastic items in Figure 9.5 are all made of polythene (also called polyethylene). It consists of repeating monomers of ethene (C2 H4 ). To learn more about polymers and how they form, go to this URL: (2:13). Exploratorium Staff Scientist Julie Yu changes and manipulates the physical and chemical properties of plastic bottles by exposing them to heat. This is how plastic bags and bottles can be recycled and used over and over again. For more information on properties of plastic, see [Link] MEDIA Click image to the left or use the URL below. URL: Pure carbon can exist in different forms, depending on how its atoms are arranged. The forms include diamond, graphite, and fullerenes. All three forms exist as crystals, but they have different structures. Their different structures, in turn, give them different properties. You can learn more about them in Table 9.1. atoms affect the properties of the substances formed? Structure Diamond crystal Description Diamond Diamond is a form of carbon in which each carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms. This forms a strong, rigid, three- dimensional structure. Diamond is the hardest natural substance. It is used for cutting and grinding tools as well as for rings and other pieces of jewelry. Graphite Graphite is a form of carbon in which carbon atoms are arranged in layers. Bonds are strong between carbon atoms within each layer but relatively weak between atoms in different layers. The weak bonds between layers allow the layers to slide over one another. This makes graphite relatively soft and slippery. It is used as a lubricant. It also makes up the "lead" in pencils. Fullerene A fullerene (also called a bucky- ball) is a form of carbon in which carbon atoms are arranged in
Output: large molecule that consists of many smaller molecules joined together by covalent bonds