Final answer:
Carbon is vital for life due to its ability to form stable covalent bonds with many elements, creating a vast diversity of organic compounds that are essential for cellular function and life processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The unique properties of carbon make it a central part of biological molecules. Carbon atoms have four electrons in their outer shell, allowing them to form stable covalent bonds with other carbon atoms and a variety of other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. This enables the formation of complex structures like chains, branched molecules, and rings, which are the backbones of organic compounds essential for life.
Carbon's ability to form versatile and stable bonds results in a vast diversity of organic molecules, including large polymers built from smaller monomers. These molecules perform a myriad of functions critical for life, and therefore, carbon is considered the foundation element for macromolecules in living things. Carbon compounds also store energy, and as fossil fuels, they have been a significant energy source for humanity, impacting the environment and contributing to climate change.