Question

Which of the following types of chemical bonds do carbon atoms generally NOT form?

A) nonpolar covalent bonds
B) polar covalent bonds
C) hydrogen bonds
D) ionic bonds
E) neither ionic nor hydrogen bonds

Answer 1

Carbon atoms do not typically form hydrogen bonds or ionic bonds. They are known for forming nonpolar and polar covalent bonds with other atoms, sharing electrons either equally or unequally.

Step-by-step explanation:

Carbon atoms generally do not form hydrogen bonds or ionic bonds. They are mostly known for forming covalent bonds, either nonpolar or polar. A hydrogen bond is a type of weak chemical bond that occurs when a hydrogen atom that is covalently bonded to an electronegative atom, like oxygen or nitrogen, is also attracted to another electronegative atom. In contrast, ionic bonds are formed when one atom donates an electron to another atom, creating ions that attract each other due to opposite charges.

Therefore, when talking about carbon atoms, they predominantly form nonpolar covalent bonds with other carbon atoms or atoms of similar electronegativity, where electrons are shared equally, or polar covalent bonds with more electronegative atoms, leading to unequal sharing of electrons. However, carbon rarely forms ionic or hydrogen bonds in its compounds.