www.gradeup.

co

1
www.gradeup.co

Carbon and its Compounds

• The compounds made up of carbon are called organic compounds.
• The Atomic number of carbon atom is 6 and atomic mass is 12.
• Carbon atom always forms covalent bonds.
• Carbon atom is tetravalent in nature which means its valency is 4.
• Catenation is the property of an element to form a long chain or ring-like structure of its
own atom.
• Carbon shows the property of catenation.
• Carbon shows the property of allotropy and some of the most important allotropes of
carbon are given below as follows:

o Diamond:

▪ Diamond is an allotrope of carbon which is the hardest substance known to the

mankind.
▪ Its structure is tetrahedral.

o Graphite:

▪ Graphite is very brittle in nature and it is the only non-metal which can conduct
electricity.
▪ Its structure is in the form of sheet.
▪ The single layer of sheet of ghaphite is called Graphine.

o Buckminsterfullerene:

▪ It consists of the single sheet of carbon wrapped into a sphere.

▪ Its chemical formula is C60.

o Lonsdaleite:

▪ It is also called hexagonal diamond.

▪ Its structure is hexagonal in nature.

• The compounds of Carbon and Hydrogen together are called Hydrocarbons.

• The three types of Hydrocarbons are discussed below as follows:

o Alkane:

▪ Those hydrocarbons which have only single bonds between the carbon atoms are called
Alkanes.
▪ The basic formula for Alkanes is CnH2n+2.
▪ Some of the important examples of Alkanes are Methane, Ethane, Propane etc.

o Alkene:

▪ Those hydrocarbons which have only double bonds between the carbon atoms are called
Alkenes.
▪ The basic formula for alkenes is CnH2n.
▪ Some of the important examples of Alkenes are Ethene, Propene etc.

o Alkyne:

2
www.gradeup.co

▪ Those hydrocarbons which have only triple bonds in between the carbon atoms are
called Alkynes.
▪ The basic molecular formula for Alkynes is CnH2n-2.
▪ Some of the important examples of Alkynes are Ethyne, Propyne etc.

• A homologous series is a group of chemicals which have same chemical properties and
have a difference of CH2 consecutive chemicals.
• Isomers are the organic compounds which have same molecular formula but different
structure. For example – n-pentane, iso-pentane and neo-pentane.

Functional Group:
• An atom or group of atom which makes a carbon compound reactive and decides its
properties is called functional group.
• Some of the important functional groups are described below as follows:

General Formula Functional Group Group Name

R-X (F, Cl, Br and I) Haloalkane
R-OH -OH Alcohol
R-O-R -O- Ether
R-CHO -CHO Aldehyde
R-COOH -COOH Carboxylic acid

• Some of the important properties of carbon is given below as follows:

o Combustion: After burning in the presence of oxygen, Carbon compounds release

carbon-di-oxide.

o Addition: Only unsaturated hydrocarbons show Addition reaction. This reaction is used
to produce vegetable ghee from vegetable oil.

o Substitution: When a group of atom or single atom takes place of another in a reaction
then such type of reaction is called Substitution reaction.

• Some of the important organic compounds are given below as follows:

o Ethanol:

▪ Its chemical formula is CH3CH2OH.

▪ It is a colourless liquid which is commonly known as Alcohol.
▪ It has very boiling point.

o Ethanoic Acid:

▪ It is a colourless liquid.
▪ When pure ethanoic acid freeze like ice, it is known as Glacial Acetic Acid.
▪ Ethanoic Acid/Acetic acid when reacts with ethanol it forms an ester.
▪ Ester are sweet smelling compounds.

o Methane:

▪ It is a marsh gas.
▪ It can easily be produced from Marshy areas, Coal mines, land-fills.

o Butane:
▪ Butane is used in LPG cylinders.
▪ Its molecular formula is C4H10.