How many single covalent bonds are present in a Lewis dot structure of neutral nitrogen trichloride (NCl_3)?

• A. 4
• B. 3
• C. 2
• D. 1

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the central atom and the surrounding atoms in the molecule NCl_3. Nitrogen (N) is the central atom, and there are three chlorine (Cl) atoms bonded to it.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for each atom: Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons, and each chlorine has 7 valence electrons.
3. Calculate the total number of valence electrons available for bonding by adding the valence electrons of nitrogen and the three chlorines: Total electrons = 5 (N) + 3 × 7 (Cl) = 26 electrons.
4. Draw single bonds between the nitrogen atom and each chlorine atom. Each single bond represents a pair of shared electrons (2 electrons per bond). Since there are three chlorines, draw three single bonds.
5. Confirm that the nitrogen and chlorine atoms satisfy the octet rule by distributing the remaining electrons as lone pairs around the atoms, ensuring nitrogen has 8 electrons total and each chlorine has 8 electrons total.