Final answer:
The sulfur dichloride molecule (SCl2) has a total of 20 valence electrons: 6 from the sulfur atom and 14 from the two chlorine atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the total number of valence electrons in a sulfur dichloride (SCl2) molecule, we add up the valence electrons from each atom in the molecule. Sulfur, found in group 16 of the periodic table, has 6 valence electrons. Chlorine, found in group 17, has 7 valence electrons. Since there are two chlorine atoms in sulfur dichloride, we multiply the number of valence electrons of chlorine by 2.
The calculation for the total valence electrons in SCl2 is:
- For sulfur (S): 1 atom × 6 valence electrons/atom = 6 valence electrons
- For chlorine (Cl): 2 atoms × 7 valence electrons/atom = 14 valence electrons
Adding these together gives a total of 20 valence electrons for the sulfur dichloride molecule. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is not provided in the options A through D.