Final answer:
There are 22 chemical bonds in two molecules of pyruvic acid; each molecule consists of 9 single bonds and 2 double bonds, making 18 single bonds and 4 double bonds in total for two molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
A student asked how many chemical bonds are in two molecules of pyruvic acid. In order to answer this question, we need to consider the structure of a single molecule of pyruvic acid (C₃H₄O₃). A pyruvic acid molecule consists of 3 carbon atoms, where the first carbon is double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH), the second carbon is single-bonded to two hydrogen atoms, and the third carbon is double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to a CH₃ group.
Counting the bonds in one molecule of pyruvic acid, there are 4 single C-H bonds, 2 single C-C bonds, 1 single C-O bond of the hydroxyl group, 1 double C=O bond (keto group), and 1 double C=O bond (carboxylic group). This adds up to 9 single bonds and 2 double bonds for a total of 11 bonds in one molecule. Therefore, in two molecules of pyruvic acid, there would be twice this number, resulting in 18 single bonds and 4 double bonds, for a total of 22 chemical bonds.