Which of the following phosphate, PO 4 3- Lewis structures is the best, most valid resonance structure?

Here it says, which of the following phosphate PO43 minus Lewis structures is the best, most valid resonant structure? So remember, we've talked about phosphate in the beginning of this topic. And remember, we said that for phosphate, one of its resonant structures has a double bond on 1 oxygen, and 3 single bonds on the other 3 oxygens. That would mean that our answer could either be c or e. Now the answer is c, and let's see why that is. Remember, to determine the best resonance structure we use formal charge formula, which is equal to group number of the element, which is connected to its valence electrons, minus the bonds the element is making, plus each individual nonbonding electron. So if we look at this structure, let's call this oxygen a, oxygen b's. For oxygen a, we see that it is in group 6. It's making 2 bonds and it has 4 electrons that are not bonding. For oxygen b, we see that focus on one of them. Let's focus on this one. It is in group 6 a. It's making one bond and it has 6 electrons not bonding. And then the phosphorus itself is in group 5 a. We see it making 5 bonds and has no electrons that are not bonding. When we add up all the formal charges together, it should give us the charge of the compound, which is minus 3. Now e doesn't work because if we look at e let's see. We're gonna say oxygen a b, so oxygen a here would equal the same thing, 6 making 2 bonds has 4 electrons, so that would be equal to 0. Oxygen b equals 6, making one bond it has 6 electrons. And then phosphorus here, it's in group 5 a, it's making 5 bonds, and for some reason we have 2 electrons that are not bonding. So that will come out to negative 2. So if you add up all the formal charges, it would give us a negative 5 overall charge, which doesn't match the charge of the phosphate ion. Okay? So here, c would be our best option as one of the resonance structures for the phosphate ion.

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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure

Resonance Structures

General Chemistry

11. Bonding & Molecular Structure

Resonance Structures

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following phosphate, PO₄^3- Lewis structures is the best, most valid resonance structure?

Lewis structure of phosphate ion, PO4^3-, showing a central phosphorus atom with four oxygen atoms.

Lewis structure of phosphate ion, PO4^3-, with a central phosphorus atom and four oxygen atoms.

Lewis structure of phosphate ion, PO4^3-, depicting a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms.

Lewis structure of phosphate ion, PO4^3-, illustrating a phosphorus atom with double bonds to two oxygen atoms.

Lewis structure of phosphate ion, PO4^3-, showing a phosphorus atom with single and double bonds to oxygen atoms.

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Verified step by step guidance

Identify the total number of valence electrons in the phosphate ion, PO4^3-. Phosphorus (P) has 5 valence electrons, and each oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons. The ion has a -3 charge, adding 3 more electrons.

Calculate the total number of valence electrons: 5 (from P) + 4*6 (from O) + 3 (from charge) = 32 valence electrons.

Draw a skeleton structure with phosphorus in the center and four oxygen atoms surrounding it. Connect each oxygen to phosphorus with a single bond initially.

Distribute the remaining electrons to satisfy the octet rule for each oxygen atom. Start by placing lone pairs on the oxygen atoms.

Consider resonance structures by forming double bonds between phosphorus and oxygen atoms. Evaluate each structure based on formal charges, aiming for the structure with the least formal charges and the most stable configuration.