Hello friends! If you are a student of science, it is very important for you to know about the concept of valency. So today we shall discuss what is the valency of carbon? Valency is the measure of the potential of the atom of an element to form a bond with the atom of another element to reach the octet or the inert gas stage.
Since Carbon atom has four electrons in its outer shell and needs four more electrons to complete its octet, its valency is 4.
How Do You Find The Valence Electrons For Carbon
We can find the valency of the carbon atom by looking at which group it belongs in the periodic table. Since it belongs to group 4, its valency is 4.
Also, since its atomic number is equal to four, its number of valence electrons is equal to the group it belongs in the periodic table.
Valence Electrons in a Carbon Atom in the Ground State
Carbon has 6 electrons in its ground or neutral state. Hence it has 2 electrons in its first shell and 4 electrons in its second or outer shell. Hence it has four valence electrons.