Bromine and Oxygen Lewis Structures

The video tutorial explains the process of determining the best Lewis structure for the BrO2- ion. Initially, the structure appears correct with each atom having a full octet. However, bromine can hold more than 8 valence electrons, necessitating a check of formal charges. The formal charges for oxygen and bromine are calculated, revealing that the charges are not optimal. By forming a double bond, the formal charges are adjusted to be closer to zero, resulting in the best Lewis structure for BrO2-. The tutorial emphasizes the importance of minimizing formal charges for stability.

What is the initial observation about the Lewis structure of BrO2-?

• It has incomplete octets.

• Bromine has less than 8 valence electrons.

• It uses more than 20 valence electrons.

• Each atom has a full octet.

How many valence electrons does each Oxygen atom have in BrO2-?

• 8

• 5

• 6

• 7

What is the formal charge on each Oxygen atom in the initial structure of BrO2-?

• +1

• 0

• -1

• -2

How many nonbonding valence electrons does Bromine have in BrO2-?

• 2

• 4

• 8

• 6

What is the formal charge on Bromine in the initial structure of BrO2-?

• -1

• 0

• +1

• +2

What is the overall charge of the BrO2- ion?

• -2

• +1

• 0

• -1

What change is made to the Lewis structure to optimize the formal charges?

• Removing electrons from Oxygen.

• Adding a triple bond between Bromine and Oxygen.

• Forming a double bond with one Oxygen.

• Adding more electrons to Bromine.

After optimization, what is the formal charge on the Oxygen with a double bond?

• -2

• -1

• 0

• +1