The atomic number of carbon is 6, which means it has 6 electrons.
To determine the number of core and valence electrons in carbon, we need to consider its electron configuration. The electron configuration of carbon is 1s² 2s² 2p².
In this configuration, the 1s² and 2s² electrons are considered core electrons. Core electrons are the electrons in the inner energy levels or shells, closer to the nucleus. In the case of carbon, the 1s and 2s electrons are core electrons.
The 2p² electrons in the outermost energy level or shell are valence electrons. Valence electrons are the electrons involved in chemical bonding and determining an element's reactivity. In the case of carbon, there are 2 valence electrons.
Therefore, carbon has 2 core electrons and 2 valence electrons.