Bond number dominating spreading

The special feature of carbon, and thus its dominating position among all known elements, is the fact that an almost unlimited number of compounds with carbon itself and with a multitude of other elements is possible. Each carbon atom (atoms are the smallest components characteristic for the properties of an element) shows four arms it can spread to form a bond. In chemistry, these arms are depicted by simple lines and, derived from the Latin word valentia = power, strength, they are called valencies ... 

---