Question

How many valence electrons does NaHCo3 have?

A) 20 valence electrons
B) 24 valence electrons
C) 28 valence electrons
D) 32 valence electrons

Answer 1

The molecule NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate) has 24 valence electrons, which is the sum of valence electrons from one sodium (1), one hydrogen (1), one carbon (4), and three oxygen atoms (18).

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the number of valence electrons in NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate), we must look at each atom:

• Na (Sodium): 1 valence electron (Group 1)
• H (Hydrogen): 1 valence electron (Group 1)
• C (Carbon): 4 valence electrons (Group 14)
• O (Oxygen): Each oxygen atom has 6 valence electrons (Group 16). Since there are three oxygen atoms, it totals to 18 valence electrons (3 x 6).

Adding these together:

1 (Na) + 1 (H) + 4 (C) + 18 (O) = 24 valence electrons.

Therefore, the correct answer is B) 24 valence electrons.