A Lewis structure with placeholder elements is shown below. If the formal charge of the central atom is 0, choose the possible identity or identities of the central atom.

Question

A Lewis structure with placeholder elements is shown below. If the formal charge of the central atom is 0, choose the possible identity or identities of the central atom.

https://media.cheggcdn.com/study/b36/b36ad243-f0a3-4e8a-8f87-82680c8a3034/image.png

A) P or As

B) S or Se

C) Xe

D) Cl, Br, or I

E) O, S or Se

Please explain it to me why because I need to understand this! Thank you in advance

Answer 1

Since the formal charge on the central atom is zero, it must have 6 valence electrons. Thus, the central atom could be O, S, or Se except that O doesn't like to have more than 2 bonds, so let's go with central atom being either S or Se (option B).