Carbon’s small size allows its nucleus to hold onto shared pairs of electrons strongly, resulting in the formation of strong covalent bonds. In contrast, elements with larger atoms tend to form weaker bonds.
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Carbon’s small size allows its nucleus to hold onto shared pairs of electrons strongly, resulting in the formation of strong covalent bonds. In contrast, elements with larger atoms tend to form weaker bonds.
Carbon’s small size plays a crucial role in the formation of strong bonds due to effective orbital overlap. In covalent bonds, atoms share electrons through overlapping orbitals. Carbon’s small atomic radius allows its orbitals to overlap effectively with those of other atoms, promoting strong sigma (σ) bonds. The closer proximity of the nuclei facilitates a more significant degree of orbital overlap, resulting in a robust and stable covalent bond. This property contributes to the strength of carbon-carbon bonds and their ability to form the diverse and stable molecular structures observed in organic compounds.