The number of covalent bonds in ethylene is

Options

A. 2 double bonds, 2 single bonds
B. 2 double and 4 single bonds
C. 2 single and 2 double bonds
D. 1 double and 4 single bonds

Explanation

To determine the number of covalent bonds in the ethylene molecule (C2H4), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Structure of Ethylene
Ethylene is represented by the chemical formula C2H4. This indicates that there are two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms in the molecule.

### Step 2: Determine the Valence Electrons
Each carbon atom has 4 valence electrons, and each hydrogen atom has 1 valence electron. Therefore:
- Total valence electrons from 2 carbon atoms = 2 × 4 = 8 electrons
- Total valence electrons from 4 hydrogen atoms = 4 × 1 = 4 electrons
- Total valence electrons in ethylene = 8 + 4 = 12 electrons

### Step 3: Draw the Lewis Structure
In the Lewis structure of ethylene:
- Each carbon atom forms a single bond with two hydrogen atoms.
- The two carbon atoms share two pairs of electrons, forming a double bond between them.

### Step 4: Count the Covalent Bonds
- Each C-H bond is a single covalent bond. Since there are 4 hydrogen atoms, there are 4 C-H single bonds.
- The C=C bond between the two carbon atoms is a double bond, which counts as 1 covalent bond but consists of 2 shared pairs of electrons.

### Step 5: Total Number of Covalent Bonds
- Total single bonds (C-H) = 4
- Total double bonds (C=C) = 1
- Therefore, the total number of covalent bonds in ethylene = 4 (C-H) + 1 (C=C) = 5 covalent bonds.

### Final Answer
The number of covalent bonds in ethylene is **5**.

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