Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Atomic Structure

Organic Chemistry

1. A Review of General Chemistry

Atomic Structure

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4:49 minutes

Problem 2

Textbook Question

What is the ground state electron configuration of carbon? How many bonds does carbon usually form?

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the concept of electron configuration. The ground state electron configuration describes the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals when it is in its lowest energy state.

Step 2: Determine the atomic number of carbon. Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 electrons in its neutral state.

Step 3: Fill the orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals first. The order of filling is: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, etc.

Step 4: Write the electron configuration for carbon. Using the Aufbau principle, the first two electrons fill the 1s orbital, the next two fill the 2s orbital, and the remaining two electrons partially fill the 2p orbital. The configuration is:

1s22s22p2

Step 5: Explain bonding. Carbon typically forms 4 bonds because it has 4 valence electrons (2 in the 2s orbital and 2 in the 2p orbital) and needs 4 more electrons to complete its octet. This is why carbon is tetravalent and forms covalent bonds in most compounds.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. For carbon, which has six electrons, the ground state electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p². This notation indicates that two electrons occupy the first energy level (1s), while four electrons are distributed in the second energy level (2s and 2p). Understanding electron configuration is crucial for predicting an element's chemical behavior.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are key to determining how an element interacts with others. In carbon, the four valence electrons (two in 2s and two in 2p) allow it to form various types of bonds. The number of valence electrons directly influences the bonding capacity and the types of molecules carbon can create, making it a versatile element in organic chemistry.

Covalent Bonding

Covalent bonding occurs when two atoms share electrons to achieve a full outer shell, leading to greater stability. Carbon typically forms four covalent bonds due to its four valence electrons, allowing it to bond with other carbon atoms or different elements. This ability to form multiple bonds is fundamental to the structure and diversity of organic compounds, including hydrocarbons and biomolecules.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration? By gaining that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?

(a) Oxygen

Textbook Question

How many electrons does an atom of each of the following elements need to gain to achieve a noble gas configuration? By gaining that many electrons, which noble gas configuration is achieved?

Textbook Question

A chemistry student drew the following incorrect electron configuration for carbon. (a) Correct the diagram.

Textbook Question

Would you expect electrons in the 2s or 3s orbital to be more reactive? Why?

Textbook Question

In the periodic table, the number 79.904 appears under the element bromine. What is the significance of this number?

Textbook Question

Choose the larger atom in each pair.

(b) O or F

Textbook Question

Give the charge most likely to result from ionization of the following metals.

Textbook Question