Final answer:
option a,The amino acid alanine, C₃H₇NO₂, has a total of 36 valence electrons, calculated by summing the valence electrons of each atom in the molecule.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of valence electrons in the amino acid alanine, which has the molecular formula C₃H₇NO₂, can be calculated by adding the valence electrons of each atom in the molecule. Carbon has 4 valence electrons, Hydrogen has 1, Nitrogen has 5, and Oxygen has 6.
To calculate the total, we multiply the number of each atom by its valence electrons and add them all together:
- Carbon: 3 atoms × 4 electrons/atom = 12 electrons
- Hydrogen: 7 atoms × 1 electron/atom = 7 electrons
- Nitrogen: 1 atom × 5 electrons/atom = 5 electrons
- Oxygen: 2 atoms × 6 electrons/atom = 12 electrons
Adding these together gives us a total of 36 valence electrons for alanine.
The carbon atoms (C) each contribute 4 valence electrons, the nitrogen atom (N) contributes 5 valence electrons, the oxygen atom (O) contributes 6 valence electrons, and the hydrogen atoms (H) each contribute 1 valence electron.
Therefore, the total number of valence electrons in alanine is: 3 * 4 + 1 * 7 + 5 + 2 * 6 = 34.
So the correct answer is (a) 34.