Carbon likes to have 8 outer shell electrons when it forms molecules. how many hydrogens are needed to make 1 carbon hapy?

To complete the octet of 1 carbon atom, 4 hydrogen atoms are required so that there will be complete 8 atoms in the outermost orbit of the carbon atom.

Explanation:

The Covalent bond of Carbon atom with hydrogen atoms

Talking about the octet rule for an atom, the outermost orbit must contain 8 electrons so that it may get the stable state.

In the case of carbon, there are total 6 electrons in each atom. The outermost orbit of its atom has only 4 valence electrons and required 4 more electrons to satisfy the octet rule and get stable.

Now, this carbon atom decides to share its 4 valance electrons with 4 hydrogen atoms, each having only 1 electron in its outermost orbit and being an exception for the octet rule, requires only 1 electron to achieve stability.

Hence, 1 carbon atom and 4 hydrogen atoms together form a covalent bond to make methane compound, completing 8 and 2 electrons in their outermost orbits, respectively. So a carbon atom needs 4 hydrogen atom to combine with it and help it to get stable.