Chapter 8, Problem 94b
The hypochlorite ion, ClO-, is the active ingredient in bleach. The perchlorate ion, ClO4-, is a main component of rocket propellants. Draw Lewis structures for both ions. (b) What is the formal charge of Cl in the perchlorate ion, assuming the Cl—O bonds are all single bonds?
Video transcript
A major challenge in implementing the 'hydrogen economy' is finding a safe, lightweight, and compact way of storing hydrogen for use as a fuel. The hydrides of light metals are attractive for hydrogen storage because they can store a high weight percentage of hydrogen in a small volume. For example, NaAlH4 can release 5.6% of its mass as H2 upon decomposing to NaH(s), Al(s), and H2(g). NaAlH4 possesses both covalent bonds, which hold polyatomic anions together, and ionic bonds. (d) What is the formal charge on hydrogen in the polyatomic ion?
Structures A, B, and C show the connectivity of the atoms in three different molecules that are isomers of C3H4O. By completing the Lewis structures of these molecules, complete the information in the following table:
Isomer A Isomer B Isomer C
Number of single bonds
Number of double bonds
Number of triple bonds
Number of nonbonding pairs
The triiodide ion, I3-, exists, whereas the corresponding ion with fluorine, F3-, does not. The I3- ion has a linear structure in which two outer I atoms are each bonded to a central I atom. Although I3- is a known ion, F3- is not.
c. Which of the following statements about the existence of I3- versus the nonexistence of F3- is or are true?
i. The Lewis structure of I3- shows 12 electrons around the central I atom.
ii. Elements from the second row of the periodic table generally do not form hypervalent molecules and ions.
iii. An I atom can form a hypervalent molecule or ion more readily than an F atom because of the larger size of the I atom.
The following three Lewis structures can be drawn for N2O:
(a) Using formal charges, which of these three resonance forms is likely to be the most important?
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?
Mothballs are composed of naphthalene, C10H8, a molecule that consists of two six-membered rings of carbon fused along an edge, as shown in this incomplete Lewis structure:(a) Draw all of the resonance structures of naphthalene. How many are there?