Why is carbon so special?

[ed84c]

Carbon is meant to be the base of life as it has half an electron shell on the outside. Well so does hydrogen and a few other elements, so why arnt those as special?

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

We are made of carbon, that's why. My teacher always said, "We're just water-filled bags of carbon."

[agaubr]

Who said the other elements were ot special. Its just that as a life force all known life to my knowledge on earth has carbon based compounds in them for proteins, DNA, etc. SO carbon is the basis for life.

 

Ag

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Didn't I just say that?

[agaubr]

Yes

[fafalone]

Carbons special properties form from its being able to form exactly 4 bonds; and its not strongly electronegative so these bonds are covalents; this allows large, stable structures to develop. The disucssion of silicon based life inevitably arises because it too forms 4 covalent bonds, but carbons lower molecule weight is also a determining factor... silicon is just too heavy.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Say, faf, didn't you resign?

Silicon animals? They would be abundant... there's lots of sand.

[-Demosthenes-]

Ouch. IS that it about Carbon? Is there anything else that would work as easy?

[chemistry]

Notice that carbon is more electronegative than any other elements with the same valence electron number (4 electrons). Thus carbon easily forms tetrahedral arrangements and more importantly it can form extended networks with other carbons.