What are some common mistakes students make with molecular geometry?
1 Answer
Jan 5, 2015
I'll share some common ones I've observed in my teaching experience. Hopefully others will add...
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Trying to make all atoms of the molecule meet the octet rule. Some elements can be exceptions, for example - aluminum will have only six valence electrons in a Lewis structure of something like aluminum triiodide.
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Using more or fewer valence electrons than what the formula allows for. In carbon dioxide (
#CO_2# ) you can only use 16 valence electrons (4 from the carbon, and 6 from each oxygen). Adding or removing electrons will produce a charged structure (ion). -
Failure to put the most electronegative atom in the center of the molecule. Water is an exception to this...
