Chapter 8, Problem 1SEPP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

Out of the given structures, the valid Lewis structurespossible for ${\text{N}}_{\text{2}}\text{O}$ are to be determined.

Concept introduction:

The Lewis dot symbols contain dots, which give information about valence electrons.

The Lewis dot symbols represent both bonds and lone pairs as dots.

The Lewis structures represent bonds as lines and lone pairs as dots.

Octet rule states that an atom can only have eight electrons in its outermost shell.

For many molecules, it is impossible to explain all their properties by a single Lewis structure. In such cases, more than one Lewis structures are drawn to explain the properties. Such structures of a compound are called resonating structures and this phenomenon is called resonance.

Due to attraction toward electrons, the ions and the molecules get some charge over them, which is called the formal charge.

Formal charge can be calculated as

Total number of valence electrons in a free atom - total number of associated electrons