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CHEM 121 Studioby Learn4Less · UBC CHEM 121

CHEM 121 glossary

Skeleton structure

The arrangement of atoms (which atom bonds to which) drawn with single bonds before any lone pairs or multiple bonds are added. The least electronegative atom goes in the centre, and H and F are always terminal.

HOCl
HOCl\ce{HOCl} is H–O–Cl, not H–Cl–O: H bonds to O.

Example

In HX2SOX4\ce{H2SO4}, S is central and bonded to four O atoms; each H is bonded to an O, never directly to S.

See alsoCentral atomTerminal atomLewis structure