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Multiple Choice
Which of the following best describes the correct Lewis dot structure for the neutral compound C3H4O (propenal)?
A
A linear chain with all single bonds between carbons, an oxygen atom bonded to the central carbon, and all hydrogens attached to terminal carbons.
B
A three-carbon chain with a terminal aldehyde group (–CHO), one double bond between C1 and C2, and all atoms obeying the octet rule.
C
A branched structure with the oxygen atom bonded to a methyl group and all carbons connected by single bonds.
D
A three-carbon ring with an oxygen atom double-bonded to one carbon and all hydrogens attached to the same carbon.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the molecular formula C3H4O and recognize that the compound is propenal, an aldehyde with a three-carbon chain and a double bond.
Recall that an aldehyde group (–CHO) consists of a carbon double-bonded to oxygen and single-bonded to hydrogen at the end of the carbon chain.
Determine the placement of the double bond between the first and second carbon atoms (C1 and C2) to satisfy the structure of propenal, ensuring the molecule is linear and not branched or cyclic.
Apply the octet rule to each atom: carbon atoms should have four bonds total, oxygen should have two bonds and two lone pairs, and hydrogen atoms should have one bond each.
Verify that all hydrogens are attached to carbons in a way that satisfies valence requirements, with no hydrogens bonded directly to oxygen, and confirm the overall structure matches the description of a three-carbon chain with a terminal aldehyde group and a double bond between C1 and C2.