Carbon’s ability to form bonds with four other atoms goes back to its number and configuration of electrons. To achieve stability, carbon must find four more electrons to fill its outer shell, giving a total of eight and satisfying the octet rule. Carbon atoms may thus form bonds to as many as four other atoms.

Carbon has electroic configuration, 1s2, 2s2, 2p2. Thus it has 4 electrons in the outermost shell no. So to attain a stable octet configuration it needs to have only four more electrons in its outershell.

carbon has four electrons in its outermost shell and need to gain or lose four electrons to gain noble gas configuration . but it can’t gain or lose four electrons because it will require a large amount of energy and will become unstable .

Since magnesium (Mg) has two extra electrons it looks around for elements which could use them. In this case, magnesium bonds with two chlorine (Cl) atoms which each need one electron. With the additional electron, chlorine has a filled shell and magnesium loses two electrons.

At normal temperatures it is stable in air and water because of the formation of a thin protective skin of oxide, but it is attacked by steam. Magnesium is a powerful reducing agent and is used to produce other metals from their compounds (e.g., titanium, zirconium, and hafnium). It reacts directly with many elements.

Adding magnesium metal to hydrochloric acid produces hydrogen gas. The magnesium dissolves to form magnesium chloride, MgCl2. Let’s write a balanced equation for this reaction.

Hazards: The burning magnesium ribbon produces light of sufficient intensity to cause temporary loss of sight. Avoid looking directly at the light source. The burning of magnesium in air produces intense heat which can cause burns and initiate combustion in flammable materials.