Today we learned some new tricks about making covalently bonded molecules. We learned that:
- The first atom in the chemical formula is the “central atom.” It is physically located in the center of the molecule, and has most of the bonds in the molecule going to it.
- Instead of drawing up all the electrons in the atom, we can draw lines to represent the number of bonds each atom can form. Then we can plug the atoms together like we are using LEGOs or KNEX. Remember, there are no “bridges to nowhere.” Each atom needs its full complement of bonds.
Aim: How can the molecular formula help us determine the structure of the molecule?
Presentation: [gview file=”https://www.whsad.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Central-Atom.pptx”]
