Some mothballs used when storing clothes are made of naphthalene (C10H8), which has the following incomplete structure.
(a) Add double bonds where needed to draw a complete electron-dot structure.

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Identify the incomplete structure of naphthalene (C10H8) in the image provided.

Recognize that naphthalene is an aromatic hydrocarbon with a fused ring structure.

Recall that each carbon atom in an aromatic ring should have a total of four bonds (including hydrogen atoms).

Add double bonds between carbon atoms to ensure each carbon has four bonds, forming alternating single and double bonds in the rings.

Verify that the final structure has alternating double bonds in both rings, ensuring the aromaticity of the naphthalene molecule.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Lewis Dot Structures

Lewis dot structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms in a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist. They use dots to represent valence electrons and lines to represent covalent bonds. Understanding how to draw these structures is essential for visualizing molecular geometry and predicting reactivity.

Covalent Bonding

Covalent bonding occurs when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons, allowing them to achieve a full outer electron shell. In organic compounds like naphthalene, carbon atoms typically form four covalent bonds, leading to complex structures. Recognizing how to identify and represent these bonds is crucial for constructing accurate molecular representations.

Resonance Structures

Resonance structures are different ways of drawing the same molecule that illustrate the delocalization of electrons. In naphthalene, the double bonds can be arranged in multiple configurations, which helps explain its stability and reactivity. Understanding resonance is important for predicting the behavior of aromatic compounds in chemical reactions.

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