In ethane each carbon atom is bonded to

Options

A. two atoms
B. three atoms
C. four atoms
D. six atoms.

Explanation

To determine how many atoms each carbon atom is bonded to in ethane (C2H6), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Molecular Formula**:
- Ethane has the molecular formula C2H6. This indicates that there are 2 carbon atoms and 6 hydrogen atoms in one molecule of ethane.

2. **Understand the Structure of Ethane**:
- Ethane is an alkane, which means it consists of carbon and hydrogen atoms connected by single bonds. The general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2. For ethane, n = 2, leading to the formula C2H6.

3. **Determine the Bonding of Carbon Atoms**:
- Each carbon atom in ethane has 4 valence electrons. To achieve a stable electronic configuration (octet), each carbon atom needs to form 4 bonds.

4. **Visualize the Bonding**:
- In ethane, each carbon atom is bonded to three hydrogen atoms and one other carbon atom. This can be visualized as follows:
- Carbon 1 (C1) is bonded to:
- 3 Hydrogen atoms (H)
- 1 Carbon atom (C2)
- Carbon 2 (C2) is bonded to:
- 3 Hydrogen atoms (H)
- 1 Carbon atom (C1)

5. **Count the Total Bonds for Each Carbon Atom**:
- Each carbon atom is bonded to a total of 4 atoms: 3 hydrogen atoms and 1 carbon atom.

### Final Answer:
In ethane, each carbon atom is bonded to **4 atoms**.