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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: thatotherguy on October 06, 2012, 05:35:53 PM

Title: P4 Lewis Dot Structure
Post by: thatotherguy on October 06, 2012, 05:35:53 PM

I was working on mastering chemistry work and I can't seem to get the answer correct.  I'm curious to what the structure is.

I assumed it was           .. .. ..            But apparently this is wrong, if someone could explain to me why this is wrong and how I can
                                :P-P-P:           get to the solution that would be great.  I know that they all have single bonds and it has 20
                                     l               electrons total.  Thanks!
                                    :P:       
                                       
                               

Title: Re: P4 Lewis Dot Structure
Post by: thatotherguy on October 06, 2012, 05:38:00 PM

Woops all the :P represent a : and the element P.

Title: Re: P4 Lewis Dot Structure
Post by: sjb on October 07, 2012, 03:09:05 AM

There are only 4 lone pairs...

Title: Re: P4 Lewis Dot Structure
Post by: AWK on October 07, 2012, 03:35:59 AM

and P atoms form tetrahedron

Title: Re: P4 Lewis Dot Structure
Post by: thatotherguy on October 07, 2012, 07:37:38 AM

Oh wow that was stupid... So I also did it where each of the Ps bonded singly with the 3 other Ps.  Then a single lone pair on each.  This was also wrong.  They each have a full octet though and 20 electrons. 


                                ..
                                P
                               /|\
                              / P \
                             / /  \ \
       (: lone pair here)P----P:
                             

Title: Re: P4 Lewis Dot Structure
Post by: AWK on October 08, 2012, 08:20:29 AM

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2xrHAQVOk1VJ7UAQLI27QqMWpQFl9QoCIZG8vW06qM9iR8jecjaA_Vq0P0w