Skip to main content
Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding

Chapter 8, Problem 92b

The following three Lewis structures can be drawn for N2O:

(b) The N—N bond length in N2O is 1.12 Å, slightly longer than a typical N ≡N bond; and the N— O bond length is 1.19 Å, slightly shorter than a typical N ═O bond (see Table 8.4). Based on these data, which resonance structure best represents N2O?

Verified Solution
Video duration:
2m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Video transcript

Hello everyone today, we are being given the following problem. The possible lewis structures for sulfur cyanide are shown below the bond length for the sulfur carbon bond and the carbon nitrogen bond and sulfur cyanide is 169.167 point nine m and 118.7 kilometers respectively. The carbon nitrogen bond is slightly longer than the typical carbon nitrogen bond and the sulfur carbon bond is slightly shorter than a typical sulfur carbon bond, determine the best resident structure for sulfur cyanide. So in general, a good rule of thumb is that the more shared electrons you have is going to equal a shorter bond. And the opposite is true, meaning the less shared electrons you have, the longer the bond, so you're gonna have a longer bond with the least amount of electrons shared. So if the carbon nitrogen bond here is slightly longer than a typical carbon nitrogen bond, then A and B would contribute. So if our carbon nitrogen bond is longer than the typical. So for nitrogen. So for if the typical sulfur carbon is slightly longer than the typical carbon nitrogen bond, then A and B would contribute to that. However, B and C would contribute if the common carbon nitrogen bond was longer than the carbon sulfur carbon bond. And so in short, we can say that there is no single resident structure that can best represent sulfur cyanide. You have to include them all. And with that we have our answer. I hope this helped until next time