Elements with four outermost electrons such as carbon find it easier to share electrons than attempt to gain or lose four electrons. The bond formed by sharing of electrons between the two atoms is called covalent bond.

if it loses 4 electrons, it would require a large amount of energy to remove 4 electrons leaving behind a carbon cation with six protons in its nucleus holding on to just 2 electrons. carbon overcomes this problem by sharing its valence electrons with other atoms of carbon or with atoms of other elements.

Carbon would need to either lose four electrons or gain four electrons in order to have a full valence shell. Atoms will form as many covalent bonds as it takes to fill their valence shell. This means that carbon, our previous example, will need to form four covalent bonds in order to fill its outermost shell.

a Carbon cannot form C4+ cation because of removal of 4 elections from a carbon atom would require a large amount of energy. b Carbon cannot form C4- anion because it would be difficult for the nucleus with 6 protons to hold on to 10 electrons. c Hence carbon atoms share electrons forming covalent compounds.

To get the octet in its outer shell it has to gain 4 more electrons to form C4- ion. the electronegativity of carbon is only 2.5 and its nucleus has only 6 protons. therefore its difficult for a nucleus with 6 protons to hold 10 electrons. Hence carbon cannot form C4- ions so easily.

it highly unstable. Carbon is unable to form C4- anion as its nucleus with six protons will not be able to hold ten electrons. (i) Covalent compounds are bad conductors of electricity due to lack of free electrons.

Carbon cannot add up 4 more electrons in its outer orbital that is 2p orbital. Hence carbon cannot form C4− ions so easily. Carbon has to satisfy tetravalency, by sharing electrons with the other atoms. so it has to form 4 covalent bonds either with its own atoms or atoms of other elements.

a Carbon cannot form C4+ cation because of removal of 4 elections from a carbon atom would require a large amount of energy. d Covalent compounds do not form ions/ charged particles and therefore do not conduct electricity. e Inter molecular forces of attraction are weak hence low melting and boiling points.

Anion Button turns the ANION function ON or OFF. The anion function creates negative ions, which cause floating particulates (dust, pet dander, allergens) in the air to cling together and drop to the floor.

In general, ionic radius decreases with increasing positive charge. As the charge on the ion becomes more positive, there are fewer electrons. The ion has a smaller radius. In general, ionic radius increases with increasing negative charge.

1. Cations are therefore smaller than the parent atom.
2. Anions are therefore larger than the parent atom.
3. For ions of the same charge (e.g. in the same group) the size increases as we go down a group in the periodic table.

1 Answer. When atoms gain or lose electrons, the atom becomes an ion. Anions of atoms are larger in size from their parent atom and cations are smaller..