Multiple Choice
Which of the following best represents the correct Lewis dot structure for the neutral compound hydrogen cyanide (HCN)?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds
Multiple Choice
Which of the following correctly represents the Lewis dot structure for neutral silicon monoxide (SiO)?
A
Si and O are connected by a triple bond, with one lone pair on O and one lone pair on Si.
B
Si and O are connected by a double bond, with three lone pairs on O and one lone pair on Si.
C
Si and O are connected by a double bond, with two lone pairs on O and two lone pairs on Si.
D
Si and O are connected by a single bond, with three lone pairs on O and three lone pairs on Si.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for bonding in SiO. Silicon (Si) has 4 valence electrons, and oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, so total valence electrons = 4 + 6 = 10.
Step 2: Connect Si and O with a bond and distribute the remaining electrons to satisfy the octet rule for both atoms. Start by trying a single bond and then increase bond order if needed to satisfy octets.
Step 3: Check the octet rule for both atoms. Oxygen typically prefers 8 electrons (including bonding and lone pairs), and silicon also tends to follow the octet rule but can sometimes have fewer or more electrons.
Step 4: Assign lone pairs to each atom after forming the bonds. Remember that each bond counts as 2 electrons shared between atoms, and lone pairs are pairs of electrons localized on one atom.
Step 5: Evaluate the formal charges on Si and O for each bonding scenario (single, double, triple bonds) to find the most stable Lewis structure with the lowest formal charges, which usually corresponds to the correct Lewis structure.
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