What is the Structure of an Ethene Molecule?
A carbon atom has 4
electrons in its
outer
shell.
Carbon is in group 4 of the periodic table.
A hydrogen atom has 1 electron in its
outer shell.
Hydrogen can only form 1 bond.
The four hydrogen atoms
will each share their 1 electron
with carbon
to form four carbon - hydrogen covalent bonds.
The two carbon atoms will each share
2 electrons to form a carbon - carbon double bond
and
make an ethene molecule (C2H4).
Ethene is commonly represented by the structural formula
where the double lines between
the carbon atoms
represent a double covalent bond.
The single lines between the hydrogen and carbon
atoms
represent single
covalent bonds.
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