Chlorine gas exists as a diatomic molecule with the chemical formula Cl2 that belongs to the halogen group. It has a corrosive nature and is primarily used in the production of paper and clothing.
Chlorine atoms are covalently bonded to form a diatomic Cl2 molecule.
Cl2 Lewis structure consists of two chlorine atoms linked by a single bond with three lone pairs on each chlorine.
Table of Contents
- How to draw Lewis Structure for Cl2
- Molecular Geometry of Cl2
- Hybridization of Cl2
- Polarity of Cl2
- Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
How to Draw Lewis Structure for Cl2
There are a few steps which need to be followed to attain the stable and correct Lewis structure which are as follows-
1. Determine the total number of valence electrons in chlorine molecule.
The chlorine molecule contains two chlorine atoms. In the periodic table, chlorine is a group VIIA element with seven electrons in its last shell.
Therefore, the total number of valence electrons= 7(2)= 14.
2. Total electron pairs exist in the form of lone pairs and bonds.
Total electron pairs are calculated by dividing the total valence electron count by two. For the Cl2 molecule, the total number of electron pairs in their valence shells is seven.
3. Determine the central atom
There are only two atoms and they both belong to the same element, therefore, the central atom will be chlorine only.
4. Mark atoms with lone pairs.
- There are seven electron pairs in total.
- The drawn structure already has one bond. As a result, there are six more lone pairs to mark on chlorine atoms.
- Since there is no central atom, we can mark the remaining lone pairs on both chlorine atoms.
- Three lone pairs will be taken by each chlorine atom.
- All valence electron pairs are now marked.
5. If there are charges on atoms, mark them.
There are no charges in the molecule of chlorine.
6. To obtain the best Lewis structure, minimise charges on atoms by converting lone pairs to bonds.
Since there are no charges on atoms, there is no need to reduce charges as part of the process of drawing the best Lewis structure. We already have the best Lewis structure for Cl2.
7. Check the stability of the structure
It can be checked by using the formula-
Formal charge = Valence Electrons – Unbonded Electrons – ½ Bonded Electrons
| Element | Chlorine |
|---|---|
| Formula Applied | Valence electrons = 7
Lone pair electrons = 6 Shared pair electrons (1 single bond) = 2 |
| Formal Charge | (7 – 6 – 2/2) = 0 |
Since the overall formal charge is zero, the above Lewis structure of Cl2 is most appropriate, reliable, and stable in nature.
Molecular Geometry of Cl2
Cl2 has a linear electron geometry. This is due to the fact that all diatomic molecules or any molecule with only two atoms will have a linear geometry or shape as these molecules contain two atoms that are connected with a single bond.
Hybridization in Cl2
Each chlorine atom in the Cl2 Lewis structure has an sp3 hybridization. It has one s orbital and three p orbitals. This results in four hybrid orbitals.
Polarity of Cl2
In general, all diatomic molecules with the same atoms are non-polar in nature because they lack a dipole moment in addition to the bond.
The dipole moment is only generated in a molecule when there is a charge separation or unequal charges distributed across atoms.
Therefore, Cl2 is nonpolar.
Frequently Asked Questions on Lewis Structure of Chlorine Molecule
What is the number of sharing and non-sharing electrons in the Cl2 Lewis structure?
One bond exists between two chlorine atoms in the Cl2 Lewis structure. Because one bond contains two electrons, there are two electrons available for sharing. Each chlorine atom has three lone pairs. So the total number of lone pairs is 6, resulting in 12 unshared electrons.
Explain the polarity of the Cl2 molecule.
Cl2 is non polar in nature because it lacks a dipole moment.
What type of bond is there in Cl2?
There is a covalent bond in the Cl2 molecule because both atoms share and hold tightly onto each other’s electrons.
Explain the formal charge of chlorine in the Cl2 Lewis structure.
The formal charge of chlorine in the Cl2 can be calculated by-
Formal charge = Valence Electrons – Unbonded Electrons – ½ Bonded Electrons
Valence electrons = 7, Lone pair electrons = 6, Shared pair electrons (1 single bond) = 2
Therefore, Formal Charge= (7 – 6 – 2/2) = 0
What is the bond angle of Cl2?
Cl2 has a bond angle of 180° because its molecular geometry is linear, indicating that atoms lie in a straight line.
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