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Chapter 3: Problem 53

Why does oxygen have two bonds and two unshared pairs of electrons in covalent compounds?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Oxygen has two bonds due to its need for two additional electrons to complete its octet and two unshared pairs remain from its original six valence electrons.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Oxygen's Valence Electrons

Oxygen has a total of 8 electrons. It is in group 16 of the periodic table, which means it has 6 valence electrons. The outer shell of oxygen seeks to hold 8 electrons (the octet rule), so it requires two additional electrons to be stable.
02

Forming Two Covalent Bonds

To achieve a full octet, oxygen can share two of its valence electrons with other atoms, thereby forming two covalent bonds. Each bond allows oxygen to share one pair of electrons with another atom.
03

Presence of Unshared Electron Pairs

After forming two bonds by sharing electrons, the two unshared pairs, or lone pairs, remain on the oxygen. Therefore, oxygen maintains its remaining four valence electrons as two lone pairs, which are not involved in bonding.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Valence Electrons
Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom that are involved in chemical bonding. These electrons determine an element's chemical properties and its ability to form bonds with other elements.
Oxygen, for instance, has 6 valence electrons, as it is found in group 16 of the periodic table.
These electrons are crucial for oxygen when it forms compounds.
  • Oxygen aims to fill its outer shell with 8 electrons to achieve stability.
  • It uses its 6 valence electrons towards bonding and fulfilling the octet rule.
Understanding the number of valence electrons helps predict how atoms will interact and bond in a chemical reaction. Knowing this about oxygen explains its common presence in many compounds like water (H鈧侽) and carbon dioxide (CO鈧�).
Covalent Bonds
A covalent bond is a chemical bond formed when two atoms share pairs of electrons. This type of bond allows the atoms to achieve a more stable electron configuration, reminiscent of noble gases.
Oxygen often forms covalent bonds to reach its desired electron arrangement.
  • Oxygen shares its valence electrons with other atoms, like hydrogen, to form stable molecules.
  • Each covalent bond involves sharing one pair of electrons.
For instance, in a water molecule (H鈧侽), oxygen is involved in two covalent bonds. Here, each hydrogen atom shares one electron with oxygen, effectively allowing oxygen to complete its octet. This sharing of electrons not only stabilizes the molecule but also forms a strong connection between the atoms.
Octet Rule
The octet rule is a chemical principle that describes how atoms tend to align themselves to have eight electrons in their valence shell. This configuration is associated with the stability seen in noble gases.
Oxygen, like many other elements, follows this rule to become stable.
  • With 6 valence electrons, oxygen needs two more to fulfill the octet rule.
  • It achieves this by forming two covalent bonds, each sharing a pair of electrons.
When oxygen forms compounds, the objective is to attain a full outer shell of 8 electrons. This explains its behavior in forming two bonds and retaining two unshared pairs or lone pairs of electrons, filling its valence shell effectively. The octet rule is a vital concept in understanding why certain elements, like oxygen, form the specific number and types of bonds they do.

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