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What is the Structure of an Ethane 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 six hydrogen atoms will each share
their 1 electron with carbon
to form six carbon - hydrogen covalent bonds.
The t
wo carbon  atoms will each share
their 1 electron to form one carbon - carbon
covalent bond
and make an ethane molecule (C2H6).
Ethane Molecule showing Covalent Bonding Dot and Cross

The pairs of shared electrons between the
hydrogen and the carbon atoms
show single covalent bonds - see covalent bonding.

Ethane is commonly represented by the structural formula

Ethane Structural Formula

where the single lines between the atoms
represent single covalent bonds.

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