To find the valence electrons in carbon, determine the number of electrons in its outermost shell. Carbon has 4 valence electrons.
Here's a breakdown:
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Electronic Configuration: Carbon has an atomic number of 6, meaning it has 6 electrons. Its electronic configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p².
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Identifying Valence Electrons: Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell. In carbon's case, the outermost shell is the second shell (n=2). This shell contains the 2s and 2p orbitals.
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Counting Valence Electrons: Adding the number of electrons in the 2s and 2p orbitals (2 + 2), we find that carbon has 4 valence electrons.
Therefore, carbon readily forms four covalent bonds to achieve a stable octet.
