Multiple Choice
How many valence electrons does an atom of aluminum (Al) have?
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10. Periodic Properties of the Elements
Valence Electrons of Elements
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What is the total number of outer (valence) electrons present in a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO_2)?
A
18
B
8
C
12
D
16
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atoms present in the molecule CO_2: one carbon (C) atom and two oxygen (O) atoms.
Determine the number of valence electrons for each atom using their group number in the periodic table: carbon is in group 14, so it has 4 valence electrons; oxygen is in group 16, so each oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons.
Calculate the total valence electrons contributed by all atoms: multiply the number of valence electrons of each atom by the number of those atoms in the molecule. For CO_2, this is (1 × 4) + (2 × 6).
Add these values together to find the total number of valence electrons in the molecule.
This total represents the number of outer (valence) electrons available for bonding and lone pairs in the CO_2 molecule.
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