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Multiple Choice
Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound XeO2F2?
A
Xe is the central atom, bonded to two F atoms and two O atoms, with no lone pairs on Xe.
B
Xe is the central atom, bonded to four O atoms, with no lone pairs on Xe.
C
Xe is the central atom, bonded to two O atoms and two F atoms, with one lone pair on Xe.
D
Xe is the central atom, bonded to two O atoms and two F atoms, with two lone pairs on Xe.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Step 1: Identify the central atom in XeO2F2. Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas but can form compounds by expanding its octet, so it will be the central atom bonded to oxygen (O) and fluorine (F) atoms.
Step 2: Count the total valence electrons. Xe has 8 valence electrons, each O has 6, and each F has 7. Calculate the total number of valence electrons for the molecule: $8 + 2 \times 6 + 2 \times 7$.
Step 3: Draw single bonds from Xe to each of the four atoms (2 O and 2 F). Each bond uses 2 electrons, so subtract $4 \times 2 = 8$ electrons from the total valence electrons.
Step 4: Distribute the remaining electrons to satisfy the octet rule for the outer atoms (O and F). Oxygen and fluorine typically complete their octets with lone pairs. After placing lone pairs on O and F, assign any leftover electrons as lone pairs on Xe.
Step 5: Determine the number of lone pairs on Xe by subtracting the bonding electrons and the electrons assigned to outer atoms from the total valence electrons. This will help confirm whether Xe has one or two lone pairs, which clarifies the correct Lewis structure description.