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  • Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂): Structural Formula & Explanation
    The structural formula for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is:

    O=N-O

    Explanation:

    * Nitrogen (N) is the central atom and has a total of 5 valence electrons.

    * Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons each.

    * Double bond: One oxygen atom forms a double bond with the nitrogen atom.

    * Single bond: The other oxygen atom forms a single bond with the nitrogen atom.

    * Lone pairs: Each oxygen atom has two lone pairs of electrons.

    This structure satisfies the octet rule for all atoms, meaning each atom has 8 electrons in its outermost shell.

    It's important to note that the structure is actually a resonance hybrid, meaning the double bond can be represented between either oxygen atom. This gives the molecule a symmetrical structure with a bond order of 1.5 for each N-O bond.

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