EasyChemistryHigh School (9–10)GeneralCarbon and Its Compounds › Covalent Bonding and AllotropesNumerical
Octane, C₈H₁₈, is a part of petrol. Its carbon atoms form an unbranched chain.
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Octane, , is a part of petrol. Its carbon atoms form an unbranched chain. How many covalent bonds hold one molecule together? How many are carbon to carbon bonds, and how many carbon to hydrogen?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A covalent bond is a pair of electrons shared by two atoms. One pair is a single bond, two pairs a double bond, three pairs a triple bond. Valency: H , O , N , C , Cl . Number of bonds, counting a double bond as two, = (sum of the valencies) .
The worked solution
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Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Valencies. .
Step 2. Bonds. Each bond uses two of them: bonds.
Step 3. Sort them. Eight carbons in a chain have carbon to carbon bonds. Each hydrogen has one bond to carbon: bonds.
Check. .
Answer: bonds: carbon to carbon and carbon to hydrogen.
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