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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound ClF_5?
A
Chlorine is surrounded by five single bonds to fluorine atoms and no lone pairs.
B
Chlorine is surrounded by four single bonds to fluorine atoms and two lone pairs.
C
Chlorine is surrounded by six single bonds to fluorine atoms and no lone pairs.
D
Chlorine is surrounded by five single bonds to fluorine atoms and one lone pair.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons in ClF_5. Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons, and each fluorine (F) atom has 7 valence electrons. Since there are 5 fluorine atoms, calculate the total as: $7 + 5 \times 7$.
Step 2: Draw a skeletal structure with chlorine as the central atom bonded to five fluorine atoms using single bonds. Each single bond represents 2 electrons shared between atoms.
Step 3: Subtract the electrons used in the bonds from the total valence electrons to find the remaining electrons that will be placed as lone pairs.
Step 4: Distribute the remaining electrons as lone pairs to complete the octets of the fluorine atoms first, since fluorine is highly electronegative and typically completes its octet with lone pairs.
Step 5: Place any leftover electrons on the central chlorine atom as lone pairs. Since chlorine can expand its octet, it can accommodate more than 8 electrons, so check if chlorine has one lone pair after bonding with five fluorines.