Question

How many valence electrons does carbon have available for bonding to other atoms?

Answer 1

A carbon atom, `Z=6`, has 4 valence electrons.

Explanation:

The carbon atom has an electronic configuration of `1s^(2)2s^(2)2p^(2)`. The `2s` and the `2p` orbitals participate in bonding; a tetrahedral `sp^3` hybridization scheme is commonly invoked in order to describe the observed geometry.