Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 8: Problem 14

Does a Lewis structure tell which electrons come from which atoms? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
No, a Lewis structure does not tell which electrons come from which atoms. It mainly represents the bonding and electron distribution around the atoms to satisfy the octet or duet rule for each atom, without specifying the electron's origin.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Lewis Structures

To answer this question, let's first understand what Lewis structures are and what information they provide. Lewis structures are used to represent chemical species, including individual atoms, ions, and molecules, by showing the valence electrons involved in bonding or as lone pairs. In Lewis structures, shared electron pairs are shown as lines connecting atoms, and unshared electron pairs (lone pairs) are represented as small dots around the atoms.
02

Analyzing Electron Distribution in Lewis Structures

When drawing a Lewis structure, the goal is to distribute electrons in such a way that each atom has a stable configuration, which usually corresponds to a complete octet for most elements (except for Hydrogen, which only needs a duet). This stable configuration is achieved through the sharing or transferring of electrons. However, when two atoms share electrons, the Lewis structure does not specify which electrons come from which atom. Instead, the shared electrons are depicted as a bond between the atoms.
03

Electron Origin in Lewis Structures

When we draw a Lewis structure, we do not consider from which atom the electrons come from. We focus on the bonding and arrangement of the electrons around the atoms to satisfy the octet rule or the duet rule for Hydrogen. Therefore, the Lewis structures do not specify from which atom the electrons come from. In conclusion,
04

Does Lewis Structure Tell Which Electrons Come from Which Atoms?

No, a Lewis structure does not tell which electrons come from which atoms. Instead, it provides information about the bonding and electron distribution around the atoms to satisfy the octet or duet rule for each atom.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Write electron configurations for a. the cations \(\mathrm{Sr}^{2+}, \mathrm{Cs}^{+}, \mathrm{In}^{+},\) and \(\mathrm{Pb}^{2+} .\) b. the anions \(\mathrm{P}^{3-}, \mathrm{S}^{2-},\) and \(\mathrm{Br}^{-}\)

Lewis structures can be used to understand why some molecules react in certain ways. Write the Lewis structures for the reactants and products in the reactions described below. a. Nitrogen dioxide dimerizes to produce dinitrogen tetroxide. b. Boron trihydride accepts a pair of electrons from ammonia, forming \(\mathrm{BH}_{3} \mathrm{NH}_{3} .\) Give a possible explanation for why these two reactions occur.

Predict the molecular structure, bond angles, and polarity (has a net dipole moment or has no net dipole moment) for each of the following compounds. a. \(\mathrm{SeCl}_{4} \quad\) d. \(\mathrm{CBr}_{4}\) b. \(\mathrm{SO}_{2} \quad\) e. \(\mathrm{IF}_{3}\) c. \(\mathrm{KrF}_{4} \quad\) f. \(\mathrm{ClF}_{5}\)

Hydrogen has an electronegativity value between boron and carbon and identical to phosphorus. With this in mind, rank the following bonds in order of decreasing polarity: \(\mathrm{P}-\mathrm{H}\) , $\mathrm{O}-\mathrm{H}, \mathrm{N}-\mathrm{H}, \mathrm{F}-\mathrm{H}, \mathrm{C}-\mathrm{H} .$

Without using Fig. 8.3, predict which bond in each of the following groups will be the most polar. a. \(\mathrm{C}-\mathrm{H}, \mathrm{Si}-\mathrm{H}, \mathrm{Sn}-\mathrm{H}\) b. $\mathrm{Al}-\mathrm{Br}, \mathrm{Ga}-\mathrm{Br}, \mathrm{In}-\mathrm{Br}, \mathrm{Tl}-\mathrm{Br}$ c.\(\mathrm{C}-\mathrm{O}\) or \(\mathrm{Si}-\mathrm{O}\) d. \(\mathrm{O}-\mathrm{F}\) or \(\mathrm{O}-\mathrm{Cl}\)
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free