Multiple Bonds (Simplified) - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

Multiple Bonds (Simplified) Concept 1

We're going to say in order to draw a correct Lewis structure, multiple bonds between elements are sometimes necessary. So here we have a single bond, a double bond, and a triple bond. What we need to realize here first in terms of their bond length is notice that as we go from a single bond to a triple bond, the bond length is decreasing. Single bonds are the longest, triple bonds are the shortest. In addition to this, realize that every time we make a covalent bond it involves 2 electrons. So there's an electron here at this end and here at this end. This tells us the number of valence electrons that are shared between the 2 atoms. Here in a single bond, there are 2 valence electrons that are being shared between the 2 carbons, this equals 1 electron pair. In a double bond, we have 2 bonds. Each one again has 2 electrons, so that's a total of 4 valence electrons or 2 electron pairs. And then finally, a triple bond has 3 bonds. Each one has 2 electrons. So that's a total of 6 valence electrons shared, which equates to 3 electron pairs.

Multiple Bonds (Simplified) Example 1

Here it says identify how many single, double, and triple bonds are in the following molecule of C₃H₃N. Alright. So let's look at single bonds first. So here we have 1, 2, 3, 4 single bonds. For double bonds, we have 1 double bond. And then finally, triple bonds. We have 1 triple bond within this structure. So that would equal the number of single bonds, double bonds, and triple bonds that we can find within the molecule of C₃H₃N.

Complete following structures by filling in with lone pairs and double or triple bonds.

• A.
• B.
• C.
• D.