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 statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the neutral compound PCl_5?

Phosphorus is surrounded by four chlorine atoms, each forming a single bond, and phosphorus has one lone pair.

Phosphorus is surrounded by five chlorine atoms, each forming a single bond, and phosphorus has no lone pairs.

Phosphorus is surrounded by three chlorine atoms, each forming a single bond, and phosphorus has two lone pairs.

Phosphorus is surrounded by five chlorine atoms, each forming a double bond, and phosphorus has no lone pairs.

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Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for bonding in PCl_5. Phosphorus (P) is in group 15 and has 5 valence electrons, and each chlorine (Cl) atom is in group 17 with 7 valence electrons. Since there are 5 chlorine atoms, calculate the total valence electrons as: $5 + 5 \times 7$.

Step 2: Recognize that PCl_5 is a neutral molecule, so the total number of valence electrons calculated will be used to form bonds and lone pairs without any charge adjustments.

Step 3: Draw the skeletal structure with phosphorus as the central atom bonded to five chlorine atoms. Since phosphorus can expand its octet (being in period 3), it can accommodate more than 8 electrons.

Step 4: Assign single bonds between phosphorus and each chlorine atom. Each single bond accounts for 2 electrons, so 5 single bonds use $5 \times 2 = 10$ electrons.

Step 5: Distribute the remaining electrons as lone pairs on the chlorine atoms to complete their octets. Since phosphorus uses all its valence electrons in bonding, it has no lone pairs. Confirm that phosphorus is surrounded by five chlorine atoms with single bonds and no lone pairs.