ABSTRACT
Tetravalent carbon has several rami„cations encompassing both good and bad effects on human life. As hydrocarbons, it is the primary source of fossil energy and thus constitutes the fabric of our daily life. It forms the backbone of various dietary nutritional elements such as carbohydrates, fat, and proteins. Lightweight plastic components used in automobiles, aircraft, and space craft and the bulk of rubber materials used in tires are derived from tetravalent carbon compounds primarily of hydrogen. Grocery bags and synthetic clothing materials are made of polymeric tetravalent carbon compounds to satiate the ever increasing demands of consumer industry. The oxides of carbon such as gaseous carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are also tetravalent, but appear as the villain in almost all policy talks on sustainable environment. The environmental impacts of most chemical processes are now evaluated and measured in terms of carbon footprints.
