Multiple Choice
Which of the following best represents the Lewis dot structure of methane (CH_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 CFH_3?
A
Carbon is the central atom, bonded to one fluorine and three hydrogens, with one lone pair on carbon.
B
Carbon is the central atom, bonded to one fluorine and three hydrogens, with no lone pairs on carbon.
C
Fluorine is the central atom, bonded to three hydrogens and one carbon.
D
Carbon is the central atom, bonded to two fluorines and two hydrogens.
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the atoms involved in the compound CFH_3: one carbon (C), one fluorine (F), and three hydrogens (H).
Determine the central atom by considering electronegativity and bonding capacity. Carbon typically forms four bonds and is less electronegative than fluorine, so carbon is the central atom.
Draw bonds from the central carbon atom to each of the surrounding atoms: one bond to fluorine and three bonds to hydrogen atoms, making a total of four bonds around carbon.
Check the valence electrons for each atom: carbon has 4 valence electrons, fluorine has 7, and hydrogen has 1. Ensure that each atom achieves a full octet (or duet for hydrogen) by sharing electrons through bonding.
Verify that carbon has no lone pairs because it uses all four valence electrons to form bonds, fluorine has three lone pairs to complete its octet, and each hydrogen has no lone pairs, completing the Lewis structure.
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