Multiple Choice
Which of the following best represents the Lewis dot structure for neutral H3PO4 (phosphoric acid)?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Neutral Compounds
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In a neutral compound, how many electron pairs does a carbon atom typically share to complete its valence shell?
A
4 electrons (2 electron pairs)
B
3 electron pairs
C
4 electron pairs
D
2 electron pairs
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that carbon has 4 valence electrons in its outer shell, which means it needs 4 more electrons to complete the octet (8 electrons total).
Understand that atoms share electrons in pairs when forming covalent bonds, so the number of electron pairs shared corresponds to how many bonds carbon forms.
Since carbon needs 4 more electrons to complete its octet, it typically forms 4 covalent bonds by sharing 4 pairs of electrons with other atoms.
Recognize that each covalent bond consists of 1 shared pair of electrons, so 4 bonds mean 4 shared electron pairs.
Therefore, in a neutral compound, a carbon atom typically shares 4 electron pairs to complete its valence shell.
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