Multiple Choice
How many lone pairs of electrons are present on the Br atom in BrF_5 according to its Lewis dot structure?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Exceptions
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Which of the following compounds could have a Lewis structure with an incomplete octet?
A
CH4
B
CO2
C
NH3
D
BF3
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that an incomplete octet occurs when the central atom in a molecule has fewer than 8 electrons around it in the Lewis structure.
Examine each compound's central atom and its typical valence electron count: CH4 (C), CO2 (C), NH3 (N), and BF3 (B).
Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) generally follow the octet rule strictly, so CH4, CO2, and NH3 usually have complete octets around their central atoms.
Boron (B) in BF3 is known to be an exception to the octet rule and often forms stable compounds with only 6 electrons around it, resulting in an incomplete octet.
Therefore, identify BF3 as the compound that can have a Lewis structure with an incomplete octet due to boron's electron deficiency.
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