Lesson Plan

Lesson: Resonance and Polyatomic Ions

Aim: To investigate bond length, bond energy and the Lewis structures of polyatomic ions

Learning Outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to :

1. define bond length and bond energy.
2. compare the bond length and bond energy of covalent bonds (single, double and triple).
3. explain the Lewis structures of ions such as SO42-, CO32-, NO3- and CN- ions.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already :

1. be familiar with the formation of single and multiple covalent bonds.
2. know how to draw the Lewis structures of molecules and ions.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible.

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Time taken to complete the activities : 80 minutes

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity. The pop-up
answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their responses. Worksheet
questions include questions that require recall, understanding and application of the new concepts learned.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 1

 Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction.
(Ascertaining prior • Teacher to quiz students on the
knowledge and difference between single, double and
introducing lesson covalent bonds (in terms of number of
topic for the day). pairs of electrons, sigma and pi bond
formation).
• Teacher to point out to students that there
are other differences between the bonds
mentioned above. Teacher to point out
the presence of resonance structures in
some cases.

2 Student Activity Teacher to go through Activities 1 - 4 • Courseware

with the students.

• Activity 1 : Bond length and bond

energy
Students get to compare the bond length
and bond energy of single, double and
triple covalent bonds.

• Activity 2 : Structures of sulphur

dioxide and nitrogen dioxide
Students get to view the structures of
SO2, NO2 and N2O4.

• Activity 3 : Polyatomic ions

Students get to view the different possible
structures of CO32-, NO3- and SO42-.

• Activity 4 : Writing formulae

Students get to revise how to name and
write the formulae of ionic and covalent
compounds.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

student worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to go through the extension • Website

activities on their own. and References

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 2

 Worksheet Answers

1. Bond length and bond energy

1.1 Water has a higher bond energy. The H-O bond length in water is shorter than the H-N bond length in
ammonia. The bond energy is inversely proportional to the bond length.

1.2 The C-C bond length in ethane (H3C-CH3) is longer than the C-C bond length in ethene (H2C - - CH2).
This is because it is a single bond ( bond) whereas in ethene, the C-C bond is a double bond ( and
bonds).

2. Structure of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide

2.1 a. The Lewis structure of nitrogen dioxide molecule is

There is an unpaired electron on N. Thus, two molecules of nitrogen dioxide dimerise by pairing
the unpaired electrons.

b. The Lewis structure of dinitrogen tetraoxide is

c. The Lewis structure of nitrogen dioxide may be represented as two canonical structures.

Each resonance structure shows N-O single bond (bond order = 1) and N - O double bond (bond
order = 2). The actual structure is a resonance hybrid of the two resonance structures
( N-O bond order = 1.5).

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 3

 d. The N-O bond length in nitrogen dioxide is expected to be the same as N-O bond length in
dinitrogen tetroxide.

The Lewis structure of dinitrogen tetroxide is

There is resonance in the molecule. The bond order is 1.5, which is the same as for NO2.

3. Polyatomic ions

3.1 The resonance structures of NO3- ion are

3.2 The three C-O bonds in CO32- ion are of equal length and strength because of resonance. There are
three resonance structures.

The three resonance structures contribute equally to the actual Lewis structure of the ion.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 4