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Multiple Choice
How many total valence electrons are present in a molecule of C_2H_6 (ethane)?
A
8
B
14
C
20
D
12
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1
Identify the atoms present in the molecule C\_2H\_6: there are 2 carbon (C) atoms and 6 hydrogen (H) atoms.
Determine the number of valence electrons for each type of atom. Carbon is in group 14 of the periodic table and has 4 valence electrons, while hydrogen is in group 1 and has 1 valence electron.
Calculate the total valence electrons contributed by carbon atoms: multiply the number of carbon atoms by the valence electrons per carbon atom, which is \(2 \times 4\).
Calculate the total valence electrons contributed by hydrogen atoms: multiply the number of hydrogen atoms by the valence electrons per hydrogen atom, which is \(6 \times 1\).
Add the valence electrons from carbon and hydrogen together to find the total valence electrons in the molecule: \( (2 \times 4) + (6 \times 1) \).