How to determine central atom
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Re: How to determine central atom
The central atom of the lewis structure is the atom with the lowest ionization energy.
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Re: How to determine central atom
The atom with the lowest ionization energy and the lowest electron affinity is the central atom.
Some tips: If there are carbon atoms in an organic molecule carbons are most likely going to be the backbone of the lewis structure, but not always. Hydrogen will almost never be the central atom.
Some tips: If there are carbon atoms in an organic molecule carbons are most likely going to be the backbone of the lewis structure, but not always. Hydrogen will almost never be the central atom.
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Re: How to determine central atom
Adding on, mostly in Lewis Structures, the element that is used the least like the C in CH4 usually goes in the middle, because it is also based on symmetry.
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Re: How to determine central atom
always the atom with the lowest ionization energy. For example, in H2O, O would be in the middle because it has the lowest ionization energy
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Re: How to determine central atom
Is ionization energy related to formal charge because I thought the central atom was the one that always had the lowest formal charge.
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Re: How to determine central atom
To sum up the ideas of this post and contribute to the discussion, to determine the central atom, there are multiple factors you can consider:
1. Which element is least frequently present in the compound?
2. Which one has the lowest ionization energy?
3. Which one is the least electronegative?
The answer to these questions will help you determine which one is the central atom of a Lewis structure.
1. Which element is least frequently present in the compound?
2. Which one has the lowest ionization energy?
3. Which one is the least electronegative?
The answer to these questions will help you determine which one is the central atom of a Lewis structure.
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Re: How to determine central atom
You can look at whatever has the lowest ionization energy, the lowest electronegativity, and whichever shows up the least in the formula.
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