In this example question, it states, "Which of the following statements is incorrect about the structural diversity of organic compounds?"
A: Carbon can form strong double and triple bonds. That's true; we can do that.
B: The small atomic radius of carbon ensures sufficient orbital overlap to form strong bonds. So a small atomic radius would lead to small or short bond lengths. We said that this is one of the key features that leads to structural diversity when it comes to carbon-carbon bonds. So this is true.
C: Carbon can form stable chains up to 12 atoms only. Not once did we talk about there being a limit to the number of carbons we can have within the chain. So this statement here is not correct. So this would be our answer.
D: Organic compounds containing other elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur are very common. We've seen that when it comes to organic compounds, the key feature is a carbon-carbon bond and a carbon-hydrogen bond. But we also know that organic compounds can contain other elements, such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or the halogens. These are pretty common within nature and within labs. So here, option D is correct. Including these other elements leads to greater structural diversity.
So here, option C would be our final answer.
