Carbon forms bonds by sharing an electron in one of its orbitals with an orbital of another atom that also contains one electron. Given this constraint, how many bonds can carbon form according to its electron configuration?

Answer: triple bonds

Explanation:

Carbon has an atomic number of 6, and an electron configuration of 1s2, 2s1 2p3.

Now, according to hund's rule, it accept an electron in its S-orbital from Hydrogen, an element with one electron to form a completely filled S-orbital; but incompletely filled D-orbital.

Thus, given the constraint, a triple bond then exists in the carbon compound as found in alkynes