Textbook Question
In the Lewis structure shown here, A, D, E, Q, X, and Z represent elements in the first two rows of the periodic table. Identify all six elements so that the formal charges of all atoms are zero.
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Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding
Brown15th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780137542970
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement146
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions200
- Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry176
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution155
- Ch.5 - Thermochemistry126
- Ch.6 - Electronic Structure of Atoms131
- Ch.7 - Periodic Properties of the Elements126
- Ch.8 - Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding123
- Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories143
- Ch.10 - Gases147
- Ch.11 - Liquids and Intermolecular Forces91
- Ch.12 - Solids and Modern Materials122
- Ch.13 - Properties of Solutions126
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics174
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium101
- Ch.16 - Acid-Base Equilibria139
- Ch.17 - Additional Aspects of Aqueous Equilibria146
- Ch.18 - Chemistry of the Environment72
- Ch.19 - Chemical Thermodynamics129
- Ch.20 - Electrochemistry142
- Ch.21 - Nuclear Chemistry101
- Ch.22 - Chemistry of the Nonmetals68
- Ch.23 - Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry66
- Ch.24 - The Chemistry of Life: Organic and Biological Chemistry10
Brown15th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780137542970Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 8, Problem 9
The molecule shown here is styrene, C8H8, a benzene derivative that is used to make a number of polymers, including polystyrene. The shorthand notation for the benzene ring (described in Section 8.6) is used. Three of the carbon–carbon bonds are numbered in the structure.
a. Which of the three bonds is the strongest?
b. Which of the three bonds is the longest?
c. Which of the three bonds is best described as halfway between a single and a double bond? [Sections 8.6 and 8.8]
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the structure of styrene, C8H8. It consists of a benzene ring (a six-carbon ring with alternating double bonds) and a vinyl group (CH=CH2).
Step 2: Identify the three carbon-carbon bonds in question. Typically, these would be the bonds within the benzene ring and the bond connecting the vinyl group to the benzene ring.
Step 3: Recall that in a benzene ring, the carbon-carbon bonds are resonance hybrids, meaning they are not true single or double bonds but are somewhere in between. This affects their strength and length.
Step 4: Compare bond types: Single bonds (C-C) are generally longer and weaker than double bonds (C=C). In benzene, the bonds are intermediate in length and strength due to resonance.
Step 5: Determine the characteristics of each bond: The bond connecting the vinyl group to the benzene ring is a true single bond, making it the longest. The bonds within the benzene ring are resonance-stabilized, making them stronger than a single bond but weaker than a double bond, and they are best described as halfway between a single and a double bond.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Bond Strength
Bond strength refers to the energy required to break a bond between two atoms. In organic molecules, bonds can vary in strength based on their type; for example, double bonds are generally stronger than single bonds due to the presence of two shared electron pairs. Understanding bond strength is crucial for determining which bond in styrene is the strongest.
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Average Bond Order
Bond Length
Bond length is the distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms. Typically, single bonds are longer than double bonds because the additional electron pair in a double bond pulls the atoms closer together. Analyzing the bond lengths in styrene helps identify which bond is the longest among the three specified.
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Resonance
Resonance is a concept in chemistry that describes the delocalization of electrons in molecules where bonds can be represented by multiple structures. In styrene, the carbon-carbon bond that is halfway between a single and a double bond is indicative of resonance, where the bond characteristics are averaged due to the presence of alternating single and double bonds in the benzene ring.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
(b) How many valence electrons does a nitrogen atom possess?
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Textbook Question
(a) True or false: An element's number of valence electrons is the same as its atomic number.
Textbook Question
Consider the Lewis structure for the polyatomic oxyanion shown here, where X is an element from the third period (Na - Ar). By changing the overall charge, n, from 1- to 2- to 3- we get three different polyatomic ions. For each of these ions (b) determine the formal charge of the central atom, X;
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Textbook Question
A molecule with formula C4H3NO has the connectivity shown in the figure. After the Lewis structure of the molecule is completed, how many of each of the following are there in the molecule:
a. single bonds,
b. double bonds,
c. triple bonds,
d. nonbonding pairs? [Sections 8.3 and 8.5]