which molecule has a triple bond?

Question

1. h2o
2. co2
3. o2
4. nh3
5. hcn

Answer 1

Hello, Caitlyn,

Hydrogen makes 1 bond, oxygen 2, nitrogen 3, and carbon 4. We can eliminate the first 4 compounds with this information. HCN looks interesting. We know carbon needs 4 bonds and nitrogen 3. The hydrogen must take up one of carbon's bonding sites, leaving 3 for N.

1. H-C---N

I can't draw a triple bond, nor is there room to insert a drawing, so the C---N is my substitute.

Bob