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

Previous problemNext problem

Struggling with General Chemistry?

Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video

Multiple Choice

After drawing the Lewis structure of OCl2, what is the ideal bond angle around the central oxygen atom?

109.5°

120°

180°

90°

Previous problemNext problem

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the central atom in the molecule OCl\_2, which is oxygen (O).

Draw the Lewis structure of OCl\_2: oxygen is bonded to two chlorine atoms and has two lone pairs of electrons.

Determine the electron domain geometry around the central oxygen atom by counting the regions of electron density (bonding pairs + lone pairs). Here, there are 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs, totaling 4 electron domains.

Use the VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion) theory to predict the molecular shape and ideal bond angle. Four electron domains correspond to a tetrahedral electron geometry, which has an ideal bond angle of 109.5°.

Note that lone pairs repel more strongly than bonding pairs, but the ideal bond angle around the central oxygen atom in this tetrahedral arrangement is approximately 109.5°.