Draw the Lewis structure for the hypochlorite ion, [tex]$ClO^{-}$[/tex]. Include lone pairs and formal charges.
Answer (2)
Calculate the total valence electrons: 7 ( Cl ) + 6 ( O ) + 1 ( c ha r g e ) = 14 electrons.
Form a single bond between Cl and O, using 2 electrons.
Distribute the remaining 12 electrons as lone pairs: 3 lone pairs on O and 3 lone pairs on Cl.
Calculate formal charges: O has a formal charge of -1, and Cl has a formal charge of 0.
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are asked to draw the Lewis structure for the hypochlorite ion, Cl O − , including lone pairs and formal charges.
Calculating Valence Electrons First, we need to determine the total number of valence electrons in the Cl O − ion. Chlorine (Cl) has 7 valence electrons, and oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons. The negative charge indicates an extra electron. So, the total number of valence electrons is 7 + 6 + 1 = 14 .
Forming a Single Bond Next, we connect the chlorine and oxygen atoms with a single bond, which uses 2 electrons. We have 14 − 2 = 12 electrons remaining to distribute as lone pairs.
Distributing Lone Pairs We distribute the remaining 12 electrons as lone pairs around the atoms to satisfy the octet rule. Oxygen gets 3 lone pairs (6 electrons) and chlorine gets 3 lone pairs (6 electrons). This satisfies the octet rule for both atoms.
Calculating Formal Charges Now, we calculate the formal charges on each atom. The formal charge is calculated as: Formal charge = (Valence electrons) - (Non-bonding electrons) - (1/2 * Bonding electrons).
For oxygen: Formal charge = 6 − 6 − ( 1/2 ∗ 2 ) = 6 − 6 − 1 = − 1 For chlorine: Formal charge = 7 − 6 − ( 1/2 ∗ 2 ) = 7 − 6 − 1 = 0
Drawing the Lewis Structure The Lewis structure for the hypochlorite ion ( Cl O − ) has a single bond between Cl and O. Oxygen has three lone pairs and a formal charge of -1. Chlorine has three lone pairs and a formal charge of 0. The overall charge of the ion is -1, which is consistent with the sum of the formal charges.
Examples
Lewis structures are used to visualize the bonding between atoms in a molecule, as well as the lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule. For example, in designing new drugs, chemists use Lewis structures to understand how molecules will interact with each other. Similarly, in environmental science, Lewis structures help in understanding the behavior of pollutants and their interactions with the environment. Understanding the electron distribution helps predict molecular properties and reactivity.
The Lewis structure for the hypochlorite ion, Cl O − , consists of a single bond between chlorine and oxygen, with oxygen showing a formal charge of -1 and chlorine a formal charge of 0. In total, there are 14 valence electrons distributed around the atoms, satisfying the octet rule for oxygen. The overall charge of the ion is -1, in accordance with the negative charge indicated in the ion's formula.
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