CHEMISTRY SSS1 Third Term

WEEK 2

Carbon and its compounds

Performance Objectives

The student should be able to:

1. State the allotropes of carbon
2. Explain the structures and properties of the allotropes of carbon

Content

Carbon

Carbon occurs naturally as diamond and graphite. It also occurs in an impure form as coal and in the combined state as carbon (iv) oxide, natural gas, petroleum, and wood. Other sources of carbon are mineral deposits of metallic trioxocarbonate (iv) such as calcium trioxocarbonate (iv) (limestone) and magnesium trioxocarbonate (iv) (dolomite). Carbon shows little tendency to acquire four electrons to form an anion or to lose four electrons to form a cation. Rather, it forms four covalent bonds.

The ability of carbon to form covalent bonds with other carbon atoms and atoms of other elements have made possible the vast number.... View More