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3.49

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 6:19 pm
by Tiffany Chen 1A
For part A, the question asks for the Lewis structure and formal charges of NO+.
The back of the book says the correct Lewis structure is N and O attached by a triple bond, where N has 1 lone pair of e- and O has 1 lone pair of e-. So the formal charges would be 0 for N and +1 for O.
I understand how they calculated the formal charges but why can't the structure be N and O attached by a double bond, where N has 1 lone pair and O has 2 lone pairs, so that the formal charges would be +1 for N and 0 for O?

Re: 3.49

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 6:30 pm
by Tiffany Chen 1A
Oh wait is it because N wouldn't have its octet?

Re: 3.49

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 9:33 pm
by Corryn Doll
Yes, it is because then N would not have its octet. Because N has 5 valence electrons and O has 4 and there is a + (meaning - 1 electron), 10 valence electrons are available when building the Lewis structure. Because there are only two (N and O), the only way both may have a filled octet with the 10 valence electrons available is to have a triple bond between them.

Hope this helped!!

Re: 3.49

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 12:10 am
by Dennisse Diaz 1D
I'm sure they are asking for the octet due to the fact that this would make the molecule much more stable. What I don't understand is... Do we always have to draw the most stable molecule? Or can we submit a answer that is not in its MOST stable form?