Representing Structures Flashcards

All 6 cards in this deck

What does a dot and cross diagram show about a substance?

Which atom each outer-shell electron has come from, and how the electrons are arranged in the bonding.

State a limitation of dot and cross diagrams.

They do not show the shape of the substance, the relative sizes of atoms or ions, or the 3D arrangement of particles.

State a limitation of ball and stick models.

The atoms are shown too far apart with gaps between them, and bonds are shown as solid sticks, which they are not.

State a limitation of two-dimensional representations of structures.

They cannot show the true three-dimensional shape and arrangement of the particles.

State a limitation of any model used to show a giant structure such as diamond or sodium chloride.

It can only show a small part of the structure, so the lattice appears to have ends when it really continues.

True or false? In a ball and stick model the sizes of the atoms and the spaces between them are drawn to scale.

False. The atoms are drawn too small and too far apart, so the scale is wrong.