How many hydrogen atoms does ethene (C2H4) contain?

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Multiple Choice

How many hydrogen atoms does ethene (C2H4) contain?

Explanation:
Chemical formulas show exactly how many atoms of each element are present. The subscript after an element tells you the count. For ethene the formula is C2H4, so there are two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms. In this molecule, each carbon is bonded to the other carbon by a double bond and to two hydrogens, giving two hydrogens on each carbon and a total of four hydrogen atoms. The other numbers would correspond to different formulas (for example, two hydrogens would be C2H2, six to C2H6, etc.), so four is the correct count.

Chemical formulas show exactly how many atoms of each element are present. The subscript after an element tells you the count. For ethene the formula is C2H4, so there are two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms. In this molecule, each carbon is bonded to the other carbon by a double bond and to two hydrogens, giving two hydrogens on each carbon and a total of four hydrogen atoms. The other numbers would correspond to different formulas (for example, two hydrogens would be C2H2, six to C2H6, etc.), so four is the correct count.

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