Question

Valency of carbon atom is:

• A. 2
• B. 4
• C. 3
• D. 5

Hint:

The valency of carbon is 4 because it has 4 electrons in its outer shell and needs 4 more to complete its octet.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The valency of an atom refers to the number of bonds it can form with other atoms. Carbon has 4 electrons in its outer shell and needs 4 more electrons to complete its octet, making its valency 4. Hence, carbon can form four covalent bonds with other atoms. This is why carbon is highly versatile and can form a wide variety of compounds, including organic molecules like methane (CH\(_4\)).

Step 1: Valency of carbon.
Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 electrons in total. Out of these, 2 electrons are in the inner shell, and 4 electrons are in the outer shell. Since the outer shell can hold up to 8 electrons, carbon needs 4 more electrons to complete its octet. Therefore, the valency of carbon is 4.

Step 2: Analysis of Options.
- (A) 2: This is incorrect, as carbon can form 4 bonds, not 2.
- (B) 4: This is correct because carbon can form 4 covalent bonds to achieve a stable octet configuration.
- (C) 3: This is incorrect, as carbon does not form 3 bonds in typical compounds.
- (D) 5: This is incorrect because carbon does not have a valency of 5.

Step 3: Conclusion.
The valency of carbon is 4. The correct answer is (B).