What type of bond is found in the Lewis structure of nitrogen gas, Cl2?
A. single covalent bond
B. double covalent bond
C. triple covalent bond
D. All of the above
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: A. single covalent bond
Chlorine gas (Cl₂) is made up of two chlorine atoms bonded together. Each chlorine atom has seven valence electrons and needs just one more electron to achieve a full outer shell of eight electrons, which is the stable electron configuration of a noble gas.
To achieve this stability, the two chlorine atoms share one pair of electrons. This sharing of a single pair of electrons results in the formation of a single covalent bond. In a Lewis structure, this is shown as a single line between the two Cl atoms (Cl—Cl), representing the shared pair of electrons. Each chlorine atom also has three lone pairs of electrons that are not involved in bonding.
The other bond types mentioned in the question, double and triple covalent bonds, occur when atoms share two or three pairs of electrons, respectively. These types of bonds are found in molecules such as oxygen (O₂), which has a double bond, and nitrogen gas (N₂), which has a triple bond. However, chlorine gas does not require more than one shared pair of electrons because each atom only needs one electron to complete its valence shell.
The key to identifying the correct bond type lies in knowing the number of electrons each atom needs to achieve a stable configuration. Since chlorine needs only one additional electron and achieves it by sharing one electron with another chlorine atom, a single covalent bond forms.
Therefore, in the Lewis structure of chlorine gas (Cl₂), there is only a single covalent bond between the two atoms. The other choices, including double and triple bonds, do not apply to this molecule, and “All of the above” is incorrect.