Carbon

[mercury]

Here’s a chemistry question. Why does Carbon have to so reactive? Catenation is available to other elements like Si, Ge. Is it due to the electronic configuration- (2,4)? Why exactly does C form so many covalent bonds, chains, rings?

[trinitree88]

Here’s a chemistry question. Why does Carbon have to so reactive? Catenation is available to other elements like Si, Ge. Is it due to the electronic configuration- (2,4)? Why exactly does C form so many covalent bonds, chains, rings?

1.The 4 outer electrons plays a role in carbon searching for four or giving up four to get an outer octet.
2.Equal electronegativity values for two carbons dictates sharing electrons in a covalent bond...chains, rings, buckyballs.
3.The covalent bond energy plays a role: the strength is sufficient for stability, but low enough so that enzymes can lower the activation energy so that manipulation of the structure is possible near room temperature..cell biochemistry, photosynthesis, Krebs cycle. Not as well understood are the organisms that live in black smokers underwater, volcanic springs, nuclear reactor cooling waters, and depleted fuel storage waters...radioisotope tracing elucidated a lot of the standard cell biology. (I'll bet Black Cat knows more, here)
4. The tetrahedral carbon bonding angle of ~ 108 degrees is close to the ring bond angles of 120 degrees in six member rings.
5. Carbon forms stable bonds with N,O,H,.. the stuff of life. The surprising thing is how the relative abundances of the stardust we are made of is created in the right proportion in stars by all the processes nuclear physics and astrophysics allows...to facilitate Terra Firma teeming with life. That's why finding life of any sort on Mars, Europa, would be cool...suggesting it might happen way out. there.;) pete.

[mercury]

But we don't know what is life, Pete! Carbon based DNA just stores genetic information passed down from generations. What exactly makes a thingy alive from primordial soup is unknown. Suppose certain amino acids or compounds were able to store information like a PC in some way. But where did they get the info to photosynthesize or catch food? How could they multiply the same compounds into more living things? How did they improve (mutate) by evolution so that those beings became conscious?
Anyway, thanks for the Carbon answer!

[JohnD]

mercury,
Care to explain why you ask these questions?

The answer to your last three Qs is 'Evolution by Natural Selection'.
But that does not suggest that organisms 'got the info'. There is no intention, just that those that did it better were more succesful.

John