Textbook Question
A common form of elemental phosphorus is the tetrahedral P4 molecule, where all four phosphorus atoms are equivalent:
(b) How many P-P bonds are there in the molecule?
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Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding
Brown15th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780137542970
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement111
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions166
- Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry138
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution127
- Ch.5 - Thermochemistry104
- Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms109
- Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements107
- Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding102
- Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories120
- Ch.10 - Gases122
- Ch.11 - Liquids and Intermolecular Forces79
- Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Materials102
- Ch.13 - Properties of Solutions99
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics153
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium83
- Ch.16 - Acid-Base Equilibria109
- Ch.17 - Additional Aspects of Aqueous Equilibria117
- Ch.18 - Chemistry of the Environment60
- Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics109
- Ch.20 - Electrochemistry113
- Ch.21 - Nuclear Chemistry79
- Ch.22 - Chemistry of the Nonmetals52
- Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry57
- Ch.24 - The Chemistry of Life: Organic and Biological Chemistry7
Brown15th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780137542970Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 8, Problem 105c
A common form of elemental phosphorus is the tetrahedral P4 molecule, where all four phosphorus atoms are equivalent:
Draw a Lewis structure for a linear P4 molecule that satisfies the octet rule. Does this molecule have resonance structures?
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the structure of P4 in its common form. The common form of P4 is a tetrahedral structure where each phosphorus atom is bonded to three others, forming a closed ring.
Step 2: Consider the linear P4 structure. In a linear arrangement, the phosphorus atoms are aligned in a straight line. Each phosphorus atom can form three bonds to satisfy the octet rule.
Step 3: Draw the Lewis structure for linear P4. Start by placing four phosphorus atoms in a line. Connect the first and second, second and third, and third and fourth phosphorus atoms with single bonds.
Step 4: Add lone pairs to each phosphorus atom. Each phosphorus atom should have one lone pair to satisfy the octet rule, as each atom will have three bonds and one lone pair.
Step 5: Consider resonance structures. Evaluate if there are any possible resonance structures by checking if the electrons can be rearranged without changing the connectivity of the atoms. In this case, the linear P4 does not have resonance structures as the electron arrangement is fixed to satisfy the octet rule.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Lewis Structures
Lewis structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms in a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist. They help visualize the arrangement of electrons and the connectivity of atoms, which is crucial for understanding molecular geometry and reactivity. In the case of P4, drawing the Lewis structure involves placing electrons around the phosphorus atoms to satisfy the octet rule.
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Lewis Dot Structures: Ions
Octet Rule
The octet rule is a chemical rule of thumb that states atoms tend to bond in such a way that they each have eight electrons in their valence shell, achieving a stable electron configuration similar to that of noble gases. For phosphorus, which can expand its octet due to its position in the periodic table, this rule guides the arrangement of electrons in the Lewis structure, particularly when considering alternative bonding scenarios.
Resonance Structures
Resonance structures are different ways of drawing the same molecule that illustrate the delocalization of electrons. They are used when a single Lewis structure cannot adequately represent a molecule's electron distribution. In the case of a linear P4 molecule, exploring resonance structures can reveal how electrons are shared among the phosphorus atoms, potentially leading to multiple valid representations of the molecule.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
Ortho-Dichlorobenzene, C6H4Cl2, is obtained when two of the adjacent hydrogen atoms in benzene are replaced with Cl atoms. A skeleton of the molecule is shown here. (b) Are there any resonance structures for the molecule? If so, sketch them.
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Textbook Question
Two compounds are isomers if they have the same chemical formula but different arrangements of atoms. Use Table 8.3 to estimate H for each of the following gas-phase isomerization reactions and indicate which isomer has the lower enthalpy. (d) Methyl isocyanide → Acetonitrile
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