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Step 1:I'll solve this problem step by step, following the specified formatting guidelines:
Step 2:: Understand Carbon's Electron Configuration
Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means its electron configuration is $$1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{2}$$.
To determine the number of covalent bonds, we need to examine its valence electrons.
Step 3:: Analyze Valence Electrons
- 2 electrons in the $$2p$$ orbital
In the outer shell, carbon has:
Step 4:: Electron Promotion and Hybridization
Carbon can promote one $$2s$$ electron to an empty $$2p$$ orbital, creating four unpaired electrons:
1s^{2} 2s^{1} 2p^{3}
Step 5:: Determine Bonding Capacity
This is why carbon is tetravalent and can create stable compounds like methane ($$CH_{4}$$).
With four unpaired electrons, carbon can form four covalent bonds.
Final Answer
A carbon atom can form 4 covalent bonds.
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