Resonance Structures

[EthanPham_1G]

Can someone explain what the purpose of resonance structures are? Do we have to draw all the resonance structures for every molecule's Lewis structure?

[Katie Kyan 2K]

Resonance structures are basically alternate Lewis structures for a molecule. We don't have to draw all the resonance structures each time we draw a molecule's Lewis structure (unless the question specifically asks you to do so). You just have to know that some structures have multiple bonds in different equivalent locations meaning that they have resonance.

[005206171]

The Lewis structure isn't perfect & sometimes we're able to draw many Lewis structures for a molecule. This is called resonance. In this case, the molecule actually exists as a hybrid of all its resonance structures. And probably not, and he's said that he'll accept any correct structure.

[Kelvin Chung 1C]

Dr. Lavelle showed us in class that the molecule most likely exists as a hybrid of the resonance structures by comparing the typical bond length between two atoms to the bond length between the same two atoms within a molecule. The difference in the bond lengths proves that the molecule's bonds are a "hybrid" of a double-bond and a single-bond.

[Siya Shah 1J]

Resonance structures are essentially all the ways one molecule can be represented using a Lewis structure. The real molecule that exists is actually a blend of all the possible structures. I think most likely you would be required to always consider resonance and draw as many structures as you can.