The Lewis structure for ethylene, C2H4, is shown. How many valence electrons do the two carbon atoms in the molecule share with each other in the double bond?

Question

anonymous · Answer

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greatlife44 · Answer

Check this out: look at this strangely beautiful yet strange looking thing. it looks like something a clown would make. 

This shows all the orbitals in molecular carbon. Carbon has 4 valence electrons. and remember each carbon forms two sigma bonds, one with each hydrogen and gets 1 electron from each. that's 6 valence electrons. now carbon needs 2 more electrons to fill its octet. how does it get them. it gets them by forming a double bond with the other carbon 
where each carbon shares 2 valence electrons to give us a total of 4 valence electrons. 

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