Explain why $\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{4}$ has fewer hydrogen atoms than $\mathrm{C}_{2} \mathrm{H}_{6}$.

Answer

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Carbon has a valency of 4. So, it requires 4 electrons to be shared by other atoms to complete its octet.

Now, in C2H4, there is a C=C double bond, whereas in C2H6, C-C are attatched with a single bond, as clearly shown in the Structures of the 2 molecules.

Now, due to the double bond, 2 out of the 4 valencies of C get satisfied, and hence, to satisfy the remaining 2, each C forms 2 C-H single bonds.

But, as C2H6 has a C-C single bond, 3 valencies still remain unfilled, and hence, each C has to bond with 3 H atoms.

Thus, the number of Hydrogens in C2H4 is lesser than in C2H6

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Video Transcript

and this question were asked to determine why C two H four has fewer hydrogen atoms and C two h six. So for now we know that Carbon has four valence electrons, and so it conform four bonds. Now, if we draw the Lewis structure for this compound, let's start first with Si two. Which four? And just all single bonds. Now we see that each it's carbon here has three bonds, but there's only six electrons, which does not fulfill the octet rule. Now there is a way to fix this. We can answer a double bond here and have four electrons shared between the carbons. And so, if we count, all this again will find that this carpenter has valence fulfilled beyond electrons are fulfilled. So this year is C two. H four now must draw the Louis structure for C two H six. So again, we'll start off with a single bonded carbon and then one hydrogen to harder. Zen's three hydrogen ins, four hydrogen, five hydrogen, 610. So here, if we count every single bond, we'll see each carbon has four bonds, so the octet is already filled because he to age four has a double bond. It can only form bonds with two other hydrogen ins

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