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 describes the Lewis dot structure for the neutral molecule C2?

Each carbon atom shares two pairs of electrons, forming a double bond between them.

Each carbon atom shares four pairs of electrons, forming a quadruple bond between them.

Each carbon atom shares one pair of electrons, forming a single bond between them.

Each carbon atom shares three pairs of electrons, forming a triple bond between them.

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for bonding in the C2 molecule. Each carbon atom has 4 valence electrons, so for two carbon atoms, total valence electrons = 4 \times 2 = 8.

Step 2: Consider how these 8 valence electrons can be shared between the two carbon atoms to satisfy the octet rule (each carbon atom aims to have 8 electrons around it).

Step 3: Evaluate the possible bonding scenarios: a single bond (2 shared electrons), a double bond (4 shared electrons), a triple bond (6 shared electrons), or even a quadruple bond (8 shared electrons).

Step 4: Recognize that a single bond shares 1 pair (2 electrons), a double bond shares 2 pairs (4 electrons), a triple bond shares 3 pairs (6 electrons), and a quadruple bond would share 4 pairs (8 electrons).

Step 5: Based on the total valence electrons and the need to satisfy the octet rule, the most stable Lewis structure for C2 involves sharing three pairs of electrons (a triple bond) between the two carbon atoms.