Question

27
the correct dot formulation for nitrogen trichloride has: * (0.5 points)
3 n - cl bonds and 9 lone pairs of electrons.
2 n - cl bonds, 1 n = cl bond and 8 lone pairs of electrons.
3 n = cl bonds and 6 lone pairs of electrons.
3 n - cl bonds and 10 lone pairs of electrons.
1 n - cl bond, 2 n = cl bonds and 7 lone pairs of electrons.

Explanation:

Nitrogen trichloride (\(NCl_3\)) has a central nitrogen atom. Nitrogen has 5 valence electrons and chlorine has 7 valence electrons. In \(NCl_3\), nitrogen forms 3 single (\(N - Cl\)) bonds (as nitrogen needs 3 more electrons to complete its octet and each chlorine shares 1 electron). Each chlorine atom has 3 lone pairs (since \(7 - 1=6\) non - bonding electrons per chlorine, so \(3\times3 = 9\) lone pairs from chlorines) and nitrogen has 1 lone pair (\(5-(3\times1)=2\) non - bonding electrons on nitrogen, which is 1 lone pair). In total, there are \(9 + 1=10\) lone pairs.

Answer:

3 N - Cl bonds and 10 lone pairs of electrons.