Which of the following statements correctly describes the Lewis dot structure of the nitrite ion, NO_2^-?

• A. It contains two oxygen atoms bonded to nitrogen, both with single bonds, and two lone pairs on nitrogen.
• B. It contains two oxygen atoms bonded to nitrogen, both with double bonds, and no lone pairs on nitrogen.
• C. It contains two oxygen atoms bonded to nitrogen, with one double bond and one single bond, and a lone pair on nitrogen.
• D. It contains one oxygen atom bonded to nitrogen with a triple bond and the other with a single bond.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for the nitrite ion (NO_2^-). Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons, each oxygen has 6, and the negative charge adds 1 extra electron. So, total valence electrons = 5 + 2 \times 6 + 1.
2. Step 2: Draw a skeletal structure with nitrogen as the central atom bonded to two oxygen atoms. Connect nitrogen to each oxygen with single bonds initially.
3. Step 3: Distribute the remaining valence electrons to satisfy the octet rule for the oxygen atoms first, placing lone pairs around them.
4. Step 4: Check the formal charges on each atom. To minimize formal charges, convert one of the nitrogen-oxygen single bonds into a double bond, and place a lone pair on nitrogen.
5. Step 5: Confirm that the final Lewis structure has one nitrogen-oxygen double bond, one nitrogen-oxygen single bond, a lone pair on nitrogen, and that the overall charge matches the ion's charge (-1).