Question

Carbon tetrachloride has been widely used in the cleaning industry, in fire extinguishers, and as a refrigerant. Construct an explanation of how carbon and chlorine combine to form carbon tetrachloride. A) Nonmetal carbon shares valence electrons with each nonmetal chlorine forming four covalent bonds. B) Nonmetal carbon loses a valence electron and chlorine metal gains a valence electron to form an ionic bond. C) Carbon and chlorine are nonmetals and they shares their valence electrons to become ions and form ionic bonds. D) Chlorine metal loses a valence electron to become a cation and nonmetal carbon gains a valence electron to become an anion forming a covalent bond.

Answer 1

Answer: A) Nonmetal carbon shares valence electrons with each nonmetal chlorine forming four covalent bonds.

Explanation: Covalent bond is formed by sharing of electrons between atoms.

Ionic bond is formed by transfer of electrons between atoms.

Carbon with atomic no 6 and has configuration of $1s^22s^22p^2$. Carbon has 4 valence electrons. It can only share electrons as it is difficult to gain or lose 4 electrons to complete it's octet.

Chlorine with atomic no 17 has configuration of $1s^22s^22p^3s^23p^5$. It has 7 valence electrons and need one electron to complete its octet.

Thus carbon will share 4 electrons, one each with four chlorine atoms to form carbon tetra chloride.