Carbon is an essential atom in many organic molecules. Why is it so useful?(1 point)

Question

Responses

It has a full outer shell of electrons, so it does not need electrons from other atoms.
It has a full outer shell of electrons, so it does not need electrons from other atoms.

It has an empty outer shell of electrons, allowing it to accept electrons from a larger number of atoms.
It has an empty outer shell of electrons, allowing it to accept electrons from a larger number of atoms.

It has a half-full outer shell of electrons, allowing it to form a wide variety of bonds.
It has a half-full outer shell of electrons, allowing it to form a wide variety of bonds.

It has an almost full outer shell of electrons, meaning that it is has a greater tendency to bond with other atoms.

Answer 1

The correct response is:

It has a half-full outer shell of electrons, allowing it to form a wide variety of bonds.

Carbon has four electrons in its outer shell and can make four covalent bonds with other atoms, which allows it to form a wide variety of organic molecules with diverse structures and functions. This property is crucial for the complexity of life.