Draw the Lewis Structure for NH2Cl and Determine Whether It Is Polar or Nonpolar

To draw the Lewis structure for NH₂Cl (Chloramine), we need to follow these steps:

1. Count the valence electrons:

Nitrogen (N) has 5, each Hydrogen (H) has 1 (for two H, that’s 2), and Chlorine (Cl) has 7. Therefore, the total valence electrons are:
5 (N) + 2 (H) + 7 (Cl) = 14 valence electrons.

2. Determine the central atom:

The central atom is usually the least electronegative one, which is nitrogen (N) in this case.

3. Arrange the atoms:

Place nitrogen in the center and attach two hydrogen atoms and one chlorine atom to it.

4. Distribute the electrons:

After making single bonds between N and H, and N and Cl, we have used 6 electrons (2 for each bond). That leaves us with 8 valence electrons remaining. We can place these remaining electrons to complete the octet of chlorine. In this case, chlorine will have 3 lone pairs, while nitrogen will have 1 lone pair.

The final Lewis structure for NH₂Cl can be illustrated as follows:

       H
        |
  H - N - Cl
        |
       :

Determine Polarity:

To determine whether the molecule is polar or nonpolar, we should look at the molecular geometry and the electronegativity differences:

• Chlorine is more electronegative than nitrogen, creating a dipole moment.
• The N-H bonds are also polar, but they are not as polar as the N-Cl bond.

The overall shape of NH₂Cl is trigonal pyramidal due to the presence of the lone pair on nitrogen, which leads to an asymmetrical distribution of charge. This results in a dipole moment, making the molecule polar.

Conclusion: The Lewis structure for NH₂Cl shows that it is a polar molecule due to the electronegativity differences and the asymmetrical shape.