The correct answer is option 1, Carbon. Carbon is a chemical element that is known for its ability to form a wide variety of compounds. It has the unique ability to bond with many other elements, including hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and many others.
Option 2, Oxygen, also forms a significant number of compounds, but it is not as versatile as carbon. Oxygen primarily forms compounds with other elements through the process of oxidation.
Option 3, Silicon, is another element that can form a variety of compounds, particularly in the field of materials science. However, it is not as abundant or diverse in its compound formation as carbon.
Option 4, Sulphur, is known for its ability to form compounds, particularly with metals. However, it is not as versatile as carbon in terms of the number and diversity of compounds it can form.
Therefore, although options 2, 3, and 4 can form compounds, carbon has the highest number of compounds in the periodic table.