How many bonds can carbon typically form?

Carbon typically forms four bonds due to its electron configuration. It has four electrons in its outer shell (the valence shell), which allows it to make a maximum of four covalent bonds with other atoms to achieve a stable electron configuration. This tetravalency is fundamental to carbon's ability to form complex molecules, including organic compounds essential for life.

The four bonds can be single, double, or even triple bonds depending on the type of atoms it connects to. For instance, in methane (CH₄), carbon forms four single bonds with hydrogen. Alternatively, in carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon forms two double bonds with oxygen.

This characteristic of forming four bonds is crucial to the diversity of organic chemistry, as it enables the formation of varied structures, including chains, branched chains, and rings, contributing to the complexity of biological molecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.