Explaing why carbon forms compounds mainly by covalent bond. Explain in brief two main reasons for carbon forming a large number of compounds. Why does carbon form strong bonds with most other elements ?

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Text Solution:

**1. Why Carbon Forms Compounds Mainly by Covalent Bonds:**
- Carbon has 6 electrons in total, with 4 of these being valence electrons. This means that it has the ability to either lose 4 electrons to form a cation (C⁴⁺) or gain 4 electrons to form an anion (C⁴⁻).
- However, forming a cation requires a significant amount of energy, making it unstable. On the other hand, forming an anion leads to high electron-electron repulsion, which also results in instability.
- Therefore, the most stable way for carbon to bond with other elements is through covalent bonding, where it shares its valence electrons with other atoms to achieve a full octet.

**2. Reasons for Carbon Forming a Large Number of Compounds:**
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