Properties of Carbon Bonds

Like any other atoms, the electrons that make up a carbon atom are located in shells (or layers) that surround the nucleus. The inner layer contains 2 electrons (this particular shell has already reached its limit as it can only house 2 electrons).

Carbon atoms contain 4 valence (also termed as valence) electrons in the following layer. This second layer can contain a maximum of 8 electrons (all atoms have greater stability when the outer layer is filled up to its maximum capacity). In order for a carbon atom to attain a full outer layer (and a more stable composition), they must form covalent bonds with other atoms (they must share their electrons with other atoms).

When 2 carbon atoms share a set of electrons, the bond produced is termed as a sigma bond (also termed as a single bond; this particular bond has a tight hold on the electrons of the 2 carbon atoms). A double bond is produced when 2 carbon atoms share 2 sets of electrons, the first shared electron set makes a sigma bond, on the other hand the second set makes a pi bond (this particular bond holds the electrons much more loosely than that of a sigma bond).

A triple bond is produced when 2 atoms of carbon share 3 sets of electrons, the first bond made being a sigma bond while the other 2 succeeding bonds are pi bonds. The electrons that make up sigma bonds are much more stable when compared to electrons that constitute pi bonds. The electrons found in pi bonds are much more likely to leave from the already formed bond to make bonds with electrons of other carbon atoms or other elements; thereby adding the said atoms to the existing molecule.

Carbon atoms have the ability adhere together in rings, chains and or interlocking grids or lattices. When a carbon atom adheres with 4 uniform atoms, the said atoms will be uniformly distanced from each other. A carbon bond is in a will produce a tetrahedral figure when 2 of the said bonds are able to produce a 109.5° angle.