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Chapter 5: Problem 82

Oxygen, in almost all of its compounds, forms two bonds. Explain why this is so.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Oxygen forms two bonds in almost all of its compounds due to its electron configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p4, which results in 6 valence electrons. To achieve a stable electron configuration following the octet rule, oxygen needs 2 more electrons and attains them by sharing its valence electrons through two covalent bonds with other elements. Examples of this behavior include water (H₂O) and molecular oxygen (O₂).

Step by step solution

01

Discuss oxygen's electron configuration

Oxygen is the eighth element in the periodic table with an atomic number of 8. It has a total of 8 electrons, and its electron configuration can be represented as 1s² 2s² 2p4. This means that oxygen has 2 electrons in its inner shell (1s²) and 6 electrons in its outer shell (2s² 2p4).
02

Define valence electrons

The valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom. These electrons determine an element's chemical properties and dictate how the element will interact and bond with other elements. For oxygen, the valence electrons are those in the 2s² and 2p4 orbitals (a total of 6 valence electrons).
03

Explain the octet rule

The octet rule states that atoms tend to form bonds in such a way that they reach a stable electron configuration with 8 electrons in their outermost shell. Since 8 electrons are required for a complete and stable outer shell, elements will gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve this configuration.
04

Describe oxygen's bonding behavior

Oxygen has 6 valence electrons, which means that it needs 2 more electrons in its outer shell to achieve the desired 8-electron configuration. Therefore, oxygen commonly forms two bonds with other elements by sharing its valence electrons in a process called covalent bonding. This is why oxygen typically forms two bonds in its compounds.
05

Provide examples of oxygen's two-bond behavior

A common example of oxygen forming two bonds is water (H₂O), where oxygen forms two covalent bonds with two hydrogen atoms to complete its octet. In the case of molecular oxygen (O₂), each oxygen atom shares two electrons with another oxygen atom, resulting in a double covalent bond. In conclusion, oxygen forms two bonds in almost all of its compounds because it has 6 valence electrons and needs to share 2 more electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration following the octet rule. By participating in two covalent bonds, oxygen can acquire these additional electrons and reach the stability it seeks.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Draw a diagram that shows both the covalent and ionic nature of the compound sodium azide, formula \(\mathrm{NaN}_{3}\) (the \(\mathrm{N}_{3}\) portion is linear in shape). If there are resonance forms, then include them.

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