Answer to Question #25397 in Inorganic Chemistry for leslie

Question

1. why can carbon and hydrogen form so many hydrocarbons?

Answer 1

Carbon has four electrons in it's outer electron orbit, because it’s in 4^th element group in periodical table of elements. These electrons can be shared with another four atoms. Carbon atoms can unite in many different ways to form different chains (normal or complex), rings, double or triple bonds.