Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound XeCl_4?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds
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Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound BBr3?
A
Boron is bonded to three bromine atoms with single bonds, and boron has no lone pairs.
B
Boron is bonded to two bromine atoms with single bonds and one bromine atom with a double bond.
C
Boron is bonded to three bromine atoms with single bonds, and boron has one lone pair.
D
Boron is bonded to three bromine atoms with double bonds, and boron has one lone pair.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the central atom and its valence electrons. Boron (B) is the central atom with 3 valence electrons, and each bromine (Br) atom has 7 valence electrons.
Step 2: Determine the total number of valence electrons in the molecule by adding the valence electrons of boron and the three bromine atoms: $3 + 3 \times 7$.
Step 3: Draw single bonds between the boron atom and each of the three bromine atoms. Each single bond represents 2 shared electrons.
Step 4: Complete the octets of the bromine atoms by adding lone pairs around each bromine until they have 8 electrons total (including bonding electrons).
Step 5: Check the boron atom's electron count. Boron often forms stable compounds with only 6 electrons around it (an incomplete octet), so it typically has no lone pairs and is bonded to three bromines with single bonds.
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