Grade 12 Chemistry

Question

Grade 12 Chemistry

Resonance structures are needed to describe the bonding in which of the following?
Question 25 options:

a) CO2
b) H2O
c) ClF3
d) HNO3
e) CH4

is the correct answer is c?

Answer 1

No, the correct answer is a) CO2. Resonance structures are needed to describe the bonding in molecules that exhibit delocalized electrons, such as CO2. In CO2, the carbon atom forms a double bond with each oxygen atom, and the electrons are spread out over both bonds. This can be represented by drawing a resonance structure with alternating double bonds between the carbon and oxygen atoms. In the other options (b) H2O, (c) ClF3, (d) HNO3, and (e) CH4, resonance structures are not needed because the bonding can be correctly described using simple Lewis structures.

Answer 2

Yes, the correct answer is c) ClF3. Resonance structures are needed to describe the bonding in molecules or ions that exhibit delocalized electrons. In ClF3, the central chlorine atom has three fluorine atoms bonded to it, resulting in an odd number of terminal atoms. As a result, the molecule has an incomplete octet for the central atom, which implies that resonance structures are needed to describe the bonding in ClF3.

Answer 3

Yes, the correct answer is c) ClF3. Resonance structures are used to describe the bonding in molecules that exhibit resonance. Resonance occurs when there are multiple valid Lewis structures that can be drawn for a molecule or ion. In ClF3, there are multiple ways to arrange the lone pairs and bonding pairs around the central atom, chlorine, resulting in different resonance structures. Therefore, resonance structures are needed to fully describe the bonding in ClF3.