A student draws the following Lewis diagram for nitrous oxide, : Each outer atom is…
CHEMISTRY · Single correct · A Level · Chemistry · Bonding · Bonding
Problem
A student draws the following Lewis diagram for nitrous oxide, N2O:
N≡N−O
Each outer atom is shown with one lone pair, and no formal charges are indicated. Which statement identifies the most significant error in the student’s diagram?
(a) The diagram shows two more electrons than are available in the 16-electron valence shell of N2O.
(b) A negative formal charge should be placed on the terminal nitrogen atom, not on oxygen.
(c) The terminal oxygen atom is missing two lone pairs; it should have a complete octet of eight electrons.
(d) The N−N bond should be a double bond rather than a triple bond in the lowest-energy Lewis structure.