How are oxygen atoms different from carbon atoms?

Answer 1

Carbon is in group 4, oxygen is in group 6.
This means Oxygen has 3 pairs of electrons, and carbon only has 4. Oxygen is much more reactive than carbon because of this.
Oxygen only requires to more electrons to have a stable outer shell.
Carbon relative atomic mass = 12 and oxygen = 16 .
Carbon has 6 protons whereas oxygen has 8.
If you had exactly the same number of atoms of carbon and oxygen on a dish (1 mole for example) then the oxygen atoms would weigh more than the carbon.
Roughly 4 grams more.
Just editing to correct the person above me.
An element is NOT determined on the number of electrons. It is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus. Ion's of an element are not a different element because they have more or less electrons, they merely have more or less electrons.

Answer 2

Well, at a very basic level, Carbon has an atomic number of 6, meaning it has 6 protons, and oxygen has an atomic number of 8, it has 8 protons. Their atomic masses differ, the number of electrons each has at a neutral state is different, they bond differently... I guess the best way to find the differences is to look at a periodic table (if you know any chemistry), or look at a chemistry book, as the first 10 chapters will cover many of the differences between elements!

Answer 3

well first off, they are in different groups. Oxygen is in VI, whereas Carbon is in group IV. Therefore, carbon has more electrons, protons and neutrons. It has two more valence electrons(electrons in its outer shell) than oxygen. Their masses, atomic numbers, and density are different. It's electronegativity is greater, because it is closest to Fluorine, and Fluorine has the greatest electronegativity of all the elements. There is a huge difference in their melting points. Oxygen's is -218Celsius, and Carbon's is 3500Celsius. Oxygen's boiling point in -283, while carbon's is 4827. Their ionization energies are a little different but not much. Carbon's is 11,2603 and Oxygen is 13,6181. Their oxidization is different and there polarity is also different.

Answer 4

While oxygen atoms have 8 protons and electrons, carbon atoms only have 6 protons and electrons.

Answer 5

Name: Oxygen
Symbol: O
Atomic Number: 8
Atomic Mass: 15.9994 amu
Melting Point: -218.4 °C (54.750008 K, -361.12 °F)
Boiling Point: -183.0 °C (90.15 K, -297.4 °F)
Number of Protons/Electrons: 8
Number of Neutrons: 8
Classification: Non-metal
Crystal Structure: Cubic
Density @ 293 K: 1.429 g/cm3
Color: colorless


Name: Carbon
Symbol: C
Atomic Number: 6
Atomic Mass: 12.0107 amu
Melting Point: 3500.0 °C (3773.15 K, 6332.0 °F)
Boiling Point: 4827.0 °C (5100.15 K, 8720.6 °F)
Number of Protons/Electrons: 6
Number of Neutrons: 6
Classification: Non-metal
Crystal Structure: Hexagonal
Density @ 293 K: 2.62 g/cm3
Color: May be black

Answer 6

Oxygen atoms have two more protons, two more neutrons, and two more electrons than carbon atoms.

Answer 7

The number of electrons circling the nucleus of an atom determines the element. On the periodic table of elements, each element is assigned an atomic number. This number is the number of electrons circling the nucleus.

Answer 8

The main difference between them is that de o can be join only to two differents atoms, but carbon can be join to 4........

Be luck!

Answer 9

One is called oxygen and the other is carbon. Wow that was easy.

Answer 10

well,
atomic size, the amount of protons and electrons, and the number of electrons on the outside orbit (i forgot what those are called. covalent electrons?)