Which of the following best describes the Lewis dot structure of neutral SiH2O?

• A. Oxygen is the central atom, bonded to two hydrogen atoms and one silicon atom; silicon has two lone pairs.
• B. Silicon is the central atom, bonded to two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom; oxygen has two lone pairs.
• C. Silicon is the central atom, bonded to three hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom; oxygen has one lone pair.
• D. Silicon is the central atom, bonded to two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom; oxygen has no lone pairs.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the total number of valence electrons for the molecule SiH2O. Silicon (Si) has 4 valence electrons, each hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron, and oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons. Sum these to find the total valence electrons available for bonding and lone pairs.
2. Step 2: Identify the central atom. Generally, the least electronegative atom (excluding hydrogen) is the central atom. Between silicon and oxygen, silicon is less electronegative, so silicon will be the central atom.
3. Step 3: Arrange the atoms around the central silicon atom. Since the formula is SiH2O, place the two hydrogens and one oxygen bonded to silicon. This accounts for three bonds around silicon.
4. Step 4: Distribute the remaining valence electrons to satisfy the octet rule. Each bond accounts for 2 electrons. After bonding, assign lone pairs to oxygen to complete its octet, as oxygen typically has two lone pairs in such structures.
5. Step 5: Confirm the Lewis structure by checking that silicon has a complete octet (8 electrons around it), oxygen has two lone pairs, and hydrogens have only one bond each (2 electrons). This will help identify the correct description of the Lewis dot structure.