Carbon has four electrons in its outer shell. Why does this make it important to life?

Question

a.The outermost shell never fills making it unstable and unable to bond to other carbon molecules.
b.The outermost shell can only bond with hydrogen and other carbon atoms.
c.The outermost shell can form up to four covalent bonds and this allows it to form biomolecules.
d.The outermost shell is full, making it a stable element that can bond to water.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

c. The outermost shell can form up to four covalent bonds and this allows it to form biomolecules.

Carbon's ability to form four covalent bonds makes it incredibly versatile and allows it to create a wide variety of complex molecules, which are essential for life, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.