Number of linear atoms in acetylene molecues is a maximum of

Options

A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4

Answer

To determine the number of linear atoms in an acetylene molecule (C2H2), we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Structure of Acetylene**:
- Acetylene has the chemical formula C2H2. It consists of two carbon atoms and two hydrogen atoms.
- The structural representation of acetylene is H-C≡C-H, where the two carbon atoms are connected by a triple bond.

2. **Determine the Hybridization**:
- The carbon atoms in acetylene are sp hybridized. This means that each carbon atom forms two sp hybrid orbitals and has two unhybridized p orbitals.
- The sp hybridization results in a linear arrangement of the atoms.

3. **Count the Atoms**:
- In the acetylene molecule, we have:
- 2 Carbon (C) atoms
- 2 Hydrogen (H) atoms
- Therefore, the total number of atoms in acetylene is 2 (C) + 2 (H) = 4 atoms.

4. **Check the Arrangement**:
- The arrangement of the atoms in acetylene is linear due to the sp hybridization. All four atoms (H-C-C-H) are in a straight line.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Since all four atoms (2 carbon and 2 hydrogen) are arranged linearly, the maximum number of linear atoms in an acetylene molecule is 4.

### Final Answer:
The number of linear atoms in an acetylene molecule is a maximum of **4**.

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