Textbook Question
(c) Would you expect the O—O bond in O2 to be shorter or longer than the O—O bond in compounds that contain an O—O single bond? Explain.
11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Sigma & Pi Bonds
Struggling with General Chemistry?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
How many sigma bonds does the following molecule contain?
A
12
B
8
C
9
D
10
Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the structure of the molecule in the image. The molecule is propanone, commonly known as acetone, with the chemical formula C3H6O.
Understand that a sigma bond (σ bond) is the strongest type of covalent chemical bond formed by the head-on overlapping of atomic orbitals.
Count the number of single bonds in the molecule. Each single bond is a sigma bond. In the structure, each carbon atom forms single bonds with hydrogen atoms and other carbon atoms.
Observe that the central carbon atom is double-bonded to the oxygen atom. In a double bond, one bond is a sigma bond and the other is a pi bond. Therefore, the C=O bond contains one sigma bond.
Add up all the sigma bonds: 6 C-H bonds, 2 C-C bonds, and 1 C=O bond, resulting in a total of 9 sigma bonds in the molecule.
3:26mWatch next
Master Lewis Dot Structures: Sigma & Pi Bonds with a bite sized video explanation from Jules
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice
Lewis Dot Structures: Sigma & Pi Bonds practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations