Table of contents

1. Intro to General Chemistry3h 48m
2. Atoms & Elements4h 16m
3. Chemical Reactions4h 10m
4. BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
5. BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions48m
6. Chemical Quantities & Aqueous Reactions3h 53m
7. Gases3h 49m
8. Thermochemistry2h 37m
9. Quantum Mechanics2h 58m
10. Periodic Properties of the Elements3h 9m
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure3h 29m
12. Molecular Shapes & Valence Bond Theory1h 57m
13. Liquids, Solids & Intermolecular Forces2h 23m
14. Solutions3h 1m
15. Chemical Kinetics2h 53m
16. Chemical Equilibrium2h 29m
17. Acid and Base Equilibrium5h 1m
18. Aqueous Equilibrium4h 47m
19. Chemical Thermodynamics1h 50m
20. Electrochemistry2h 42m
21. Nuclear Chemistry2h 36m
22. Organic Chemistry5h 7m
23. Chemistry of the Nonmetals2h 39m
24. Transition Metals and Coordination Compounds3h 16m

11. Bonding & Molecular Structure

Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds

General Chemistry

11. Bonding & Molecular Structure

Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following best represents a valid Lewis structure (including resonance) for methyl azide (CH3N3)?

A structure where the methyl group (CH3) is bonded directly to three separate nitrogen atoms, each with a lone pair.

A structure where the methyl group (CH3) is bonded to a nitrogen chain: CH3–N=N^+=N^−, with resonance between the terminal nitrogens.

A structure where the methyl group (CH3) is bonded to a nitrogen atom, which is double-bonded to another nitrogen, which is single-bonded to a third nitrogen: CH3–N=N–N.

A structure where the methyl group (CH3) is bonded to a nitrogen atom, which is triple-bonded to another nitrogen, which is single-bonded to a third nitrogen: CH3–N≡N–N.

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Identify the molecular formula and connectivity. Methyl azide has the formula CH3N3, meaning a methyl group (CH3) attached to a chain of three nitrogen atoms. The key is to determine how these nitrogen atoms are bonded to each other and to the methyl group.

Step 2: Recall the octet rule and formal charge considerations. Each nitrogen atom prefers to have a full octet, and the overall structure should minimize formal charges or place them on atoms that can best accommodate them (like nitrogen).

Step 3: Draw possible Lewis structures for the nitrogen chain bonded to CH3. Consider single, double, and triple bonds between the nitrogen atoms, and assign lone pairs to satisfy the octet rule. For example, structures like CH3–N=N=N, CH3–N=N–N, and CH3–N≡N–N.

Step 4: Evaluate resonance possibilities. The correct Lewis structure for methyl azide involves resonance between the terminal nitrogen atoms, typically represented as CH3–N=N^+=N^−, where the positive and negative formal charges are delocalized over the nitrogen atoms, stabilizing the molecule.

Step 5: Confirm that the chosen structure respects bonding rules, formal charges, and resonance stabilization. The structure with the methyl group bonded to a nitrogen chain with resonance between the terminal nitrogens best represents methyl azide.