Which option describes their arrangement of electrons in carbon before it bonds with other atoms

Answer 1

Before bonding with other atoms, carbon has an electron configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p2. This means that carbon has 2 electrons in its 1s orbital, 2 electrons in its 2s orbital, and 2 electrons in its 2p orbital (with one electron in each of the three 2p orbitals).