How many valence electrons are present in the electron-dot (Lewis) structure of carbon tetrachloride (CCl_4)?

• A. 16
• B. 32
• C. 24
• D. 8

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atoms involved in carbon tetrachloride (CCl_4): one carbon (C) atom and four chlorine (Cl) atoms.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for each atom: carbon has 4 valence electrons, and each chlorine atom has 7 valence electrons.
3. Calculate the total valence electrons by adding the valence electrons of carbon and all four chlorine atoms using the formula: \(4 + 4 \times 7\).
4. Understand that the Lewis structure represents all valence electrons as dots around the atoms, including bonding and lone pairs.
5. Sum the valence electrons to find the total number of electrons represented in the Lewis structure of CCl_4.