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 Lewis dot structures for CO$_2$ (carbon dioxide) is reasonable for a neutral compound?

O--C--O, with each oxygen atom having three lone pairs and single bonds to carbon

O≡C≡O, with each oxygen atom having one lone pair and triple bonds to carbon

O=C=O, with each oxygen atom having three lone pairs

O=C=O, with each oxygen atom having two lone pairs

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the octet rule, which states that atoms tend to form bonds until they are surrounded by eight electrons in their valence shell, achieving a stable electron configuration.

Step 2: Count the total number of valence electrons available in CO$_2$. Carbon has 4 valence electrons, and each oxygen has 6 valence electrons, so total valence electrons = 4 + 2 \times 6 = 16.

Step 3: Analyze each proposed Lewis structure by assigning electrons to bonds and lone pairs, ensuring the total number of electrons equals 16 and that each atom satisfies the octet rule.

Step 4: For the structure O--C--O with single bonds, each bond accounts for 2 electrons, so 2 single bonds = 4 electrons, leaving 12 electrons to be placed as lone pairs. Assigning three lone pairs (6 electrons) to each oxygen uses all 16 electrons, but carbon only has 4 electrons around it, violating the octet rule.

Step 5: For the structure O=C=O with double bonds, each double bond accounts for 4 electrons, so 2 double bonds = 8 electrons, leaving 8 electrons to be placed as lone pairs. Assigning two lone pairs (4 electrons) to each oxygen uses all 16 electrons, and all atoms satisfy the octet rule, making this structure reasonable for neutral CO$_2$.