What are the Lewis dot formulae for sulfuric and nitric acids?

Question

What are the Lewis dot formulae for sulfuric and nitric acids?

1 Answer

Impact of this question

3565 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-12-28T16:09:44

Both sulfuric and nitric acids are NEUTRAL species. Lewis dot formulae should (and do) reflect this neutrality.

Explanation:

Typically, we would display the sulfur in sulfuric acid as a neutral species, with 2 $S = O$ $S=O$ bonds. Thus, we would get the Lewis structure: $(H O) S {(= O)}_{2} (O H)$ $(HO)S(=O)_2(OH)$ . Alternatively, we could represent charge separation: $(H O) S^{2 +} {(- O^{-})}_{2}^{-} (O H)$ $(HO)S^(2+)(-O^(-))_2(OH)$ , which is arguably a better representation.

On the other hand, nitric acid MUST display a quaternized nitrogen (i.e. formally positive), and a formally negative oxygen charge: $H O - N^{+} (= O) O^{-}$ $HO-N^+(=O)O^-$ .

All of these Lewis structures are representations of actual NEUTRAL and ISOLABLE molecules. The Lewis structures that I have tried to represent are conceptual, and may or may not represent chemical reality.

Neither Lewis representation will indicate how or why sulfuric acid is a stronger acid than nitric acid. This is an experimental phenomenon, and is not dependent our Lewis representations. In fact, sulfuric acid is a stronger acid than nitric acid, and will protonate nitric acid to give the $N O_{2}^{+}$ $NO_2^+$ cation:

$H_{2} S O_{4} + H N O_{3} \to N O_{2}^{+} + H S O_{4}^{-} + H_{2} O$ $H_2SO_4 + HNO_3 rarr NO_2^+ + HSO_4^(-) + H_2O$

I've forgotten what you call the $N O_{2}^{+}$ $NO_2^+$ cation! It might come to me presently. Ah, it's the [nitronium ion.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitronium_ion)

Science

Math

Humanities

... and beyond

What are the Lewis dot formulae for sulfuric and nitric acids?

1 Answer

Explanation:

Related questions

Impact of this question