Question

A student draws an inaccurate diagram of a compound with Sulfer (S) and Oxygen (O) atoms. What is wrong with the student's diagram?

a) The three atoms have to be nonmetals.
b) The three atoms must be the same size.
c) The three atoms must be joined together chemically.
d) The three atoms have to be different.

Answer 1

The student's diagram of a sulfur and oxygen compound should show the atoms chemically bonded; without this, the diagram would be incorrect.

Step-by-step explanation:

The error in the student's diagram of a compound with sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) atoms lies in the chemical joining of atoms. To correctly represent a compound, the atoms must be joined together chemically, based on the principles of atomic bonding and molecular structure. Options (a), (b), and (d) do not necessarily apply to this situation since compounds can include different elements, atoms in a molecule can often be different sizes, and the compound in question does not have to be composed of nonmetals only. We know that in compounds such as sulfur trioxide (SO3), the atoms are chemically bonded in a specific arrangement. The sulfur and oxygen atoms must be shown as joined to represent the correct molecular structure of the compound.