NCERT Solutions Class 10 Science Chapter 4 – Carbon and its Compounds

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds

This chapter introduces organic chemistry – the study of carbon compounds. It covers covalent bonding, hydrocarbons, functional groups, and important carbon compounds like ethanol and ethanoic acid. This chapter typically carries 5-7 marks in board exams.

In-text Questions and Answers

Page 61 Questions

Q1. What would be the electron dot structure of carbon dioxide which has the formula CO₂?

Answer: Carbon dioxide has a linear structure where carbon shares two electrons each with two oxygen atoms (double bonds).

O::C::O or O=C=O

Carbon has 4 valence electrons, and each oxygen has 6. Carbon forms two double bonds with oxygen atoms to complete octet of all atoms.

Q2. What would be the electron dot structure of a molecule of sulphur which is made up of eight atoms of sulphur?

Answer: Sulphur exists as S₈ molecule in a ring structure. Each sulphur atom shares one electron with two neighboring sulphur atoms, forming a puckered ring structure called crown-shaped or cyclo-octasulphur.

Page 68-69 Questions

Q1. How many structural isomers can you draw for pentane?

Answer: Pentane (C₅H₁₂) has three structural isomers:

  1. n-Pentane: CH₃-CH₂-CH₂-CH₂-CH₃ (straight chain)
  2. Isopentane (2-methylbutane): CH₃-CH(CH₃)-CH₂-CH₃ (branched)
  3. Neopentane (2,2-dimethylpropane): C(CH₃)₄ (highly branched)

Q2. What are the two properties of carbon which lead to the huge number of carbon compounds we see around us?

Answer:

  1. Catenation: The unique ability of carbon atoms to form bonds with other carbon atoms, creating long chains, branched chains, and ring structures. This is due to the strong C-C bond (bond energy 83 kcal/mol).
  2. Tetravalency: Carbon has 4 valence electrons, allowing it to form 4 covalent bonds with other atoms. This enables carbon to bond with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, halogens, and other carbon atoms in various combinations.

Q3. What will be the formula and electron dot structure of cyclopentane?

Answer: Cyclopentane is a cyclic hydrocarbon with formula C₅H₁₀. It forms a five-membered ring where each carbon is bonded to two hydrogen atoms and two adjacent carbon atoms.

Exercise Questions

Q1. Ethane, with the molecular formula C₂H₆ has:

(a) 6 covalent bonds (b) 7 covalent bonds (c) 8 covalent bonds (d) 9 covalent bonds

Answer: (b) 7 covalent bonds

Explanation: Ethane has 1 C-C bond and 6 C-H bonds (3 for each carbon), totaling 7 covalent bonds.

Q2. Butanone is a four-carbon compound with the functional group:

(a) Carboxylic acid (b) Aldehyde (c) Ketone (d) Alcohol

Answer: (c) Ketone

Explanation: Butanone (CH₃-CO-CH₂-CH₃) contains the ketone functional group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms. The suffix “-one” indicates a ketone.

Q3. While cooking, if the bottom of the vessel is getting blackened on the outside, it means that:

(a) the food is not cooked completely
(b) the fuel is not burning completely
(c) the fuel is wet
(d) the fuel is burning completely

Answer: (b) the fuel is not burning completely

Explanation: Incomplete combustion produces carbon (soot) which deposits as black residue on the vessel. This happens due to insufficient oxygen supply or improper air-fuel ratio.

Homologous Series

Series General Formula Functional Group Examples
Alkanes CₙH₂ₙ₊₂ None (saturated) Methane, Ethane, Propane
Alkenes CₙH₂ₙ C=C (double bond) Ethene, Propene, Butene
Alkynes CₙH₂ₙ₋₂ C≡C (triple bond) Ethyne, Propyne, Butyne
Alcohols CₙH₂ₙ₊₁OH -OH (hydroxyl) Methanol, Ethanol, Propanol
Carboxylic Acids CₙH₂ₙ₊₁COOH -COOH (carboxyl) Methanoic acid, Ethanoic acid

Important Chemical Reactions

1. Combustion Reaction

CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O + Heat + Light

2. Addition Reaction (for unsaturated hydrocarbons)

CH₂=CH₂ + H₂ → CH₃-CH₃ (in presence of Ni catalyst)

3. Substitution Reaction (for saturated hydrocarbons)

CH₄ + Cl₂ → CH₃Cl + HCl (in presence of sunlight)

Key Takeaways

  • Carbon forms covalent bonds due to its tetravalency (4 valence electrons)
  • Catenation allows carbon to form long chains, branched chains, and rings
  • Saturated hydrocarbons have single bonds; unsaturated have double/triple bonds
  • Homologous series members differ by -CH₂- unit and have similar chemical properties
  • IUPAC nomenclature follows: Prefix + Root word + Suffix
  • Ethanol and Ethanoic acid are important carbon compounds with industrial uses
  • Soaps are sodium/potassium salts of long-chain fatty acids

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