Table of contents

1. Intro to General Chemistry3h 48m
2. Atoms & Elements4h 16m
3. Chemical Reactions4h 10m
4. BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
5. BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions48m
6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions3h 53m
7. Gases3h 49m
8. Thermochemistry2h 37m
9. Quantum Mechanics2h 58m
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements3h 9m
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure3h 29m
12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory1h 57m
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces2h 23m
14. Solutions3h 1m
15. Chemical Kinetics2h 53m
16. Chemical Equilibrium2h 29m
17. Acid and Base Equilibrium5h 1m
18. Aqueous Equilibrium4h 47m
19. Chemical Thermodynamics1h 50m
20. Electrochemistry2h 42m
21. Nuclear Chemistry2h 36m
22. Organic Chemistry5h 7m
23. Chemistry of the Nonmetals2h 39m
24. Transition Metals and Coordination Compounds3h 16m

11. Bonding & Molecular Structure

Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds

General Chemistry

11. Bonding & Molecular Structure

Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound SeF_4?

SeF_4 has a central selenium atom with three single bonds to fluorine atoms and two lone pairs on selenium.

SeF_4 has a central selenium atom with four single bonds to fluorine atoms and one lone pair on selenium.

SeF_4 has a central selenium atom with four single bonds to fluorine atoms and no lone pairs on selenium.

SeF_4 has a central selenium atom with double bonds to each fluorine atom.

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons for the molecule SeF_4. Selenium (Se) is in group 16 and has 6 valence electrons, and each fluorine (F) atom is in group 17 with 7 valence electrons. Multiply the number of fluorine atoms by 7 and add to selenium's 6 electrons.

Step 2: Identify the central atom, which is selenium (Se), because it is less electronegative than fluorine and can expand its octet due to being in period 4.

Step 3: Draw single bonds between the central selenium atom and each of the four fluorine atoms. Each single bond accounts for 2 electrons, so subtract these bonding electrons from the total valence electrons.

Step 4: Distribute the remaining electrons as lone pairs to complete the octets of the fluorine atoms first, since fluorine atoms typically have three lone pairs to complete their octet.

Step 5: Assign any leftover electrons to the central selenium atom as lone pairs. Since selenium can have an expanded octet, check if there is one lone pair remaining on selenium after bonding with four fluorines, which matches the correct Lewis structure description.