Number of Resonance Strucutres
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Number of Resonance Strucutres
Is there a way to know how many possible resonance structures a molecule will have? Or is drawing them the only way to figure that out?
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Re: Number of Resonance Strucutres
Finding the formal charge is usually a good indicator for how many resonance structures you'll have. For example, if you calculate the formal charges in PO4^3-, you find that P= +1 and 0= -1. Knowing the formal charges can cancel, and also that there are four times as many O as P, you know you'll have four total resonance structures before you start drawing them.
Outside of this strategy, I'm unaware of any quicker tricks that'll tell you exactly how many resonance structures you'll have. Luckily this way isn't too difficult, just a bit time consuming.
Outside of this strategy, I'm unaware of any quicker tricks that'll tell you exactly how many resonance structures you'll have. Luckily this way isn't too difficult, just a bit time consuming.
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Re: Number of Resonance Strucutres
I found this website that describes how to identify resonance structures from Lewis structures and what they should consist of. I found it very helpful.
http://shimizu-uofsc.net/orgo/Chem_333/1c.i.html
http://shimizu-uofsc.net/orgo/Chem_333/1c.i.html
Re: Number of Resonance Strucutres
Even though drawing them can be painstaking, I'm pretty sure it's a solid way to figure it out. Maybe it wouldn't necessarily be the best way to do it on a test but I think getting comfortable with drawing structures is good practice to save time on tests.
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