The Lewis Dot Structure for KCl

Created by MakeTheBrainHappy.

Please find above the Lewis Dot Structure for KCl (Potassium Chloride). As per usual you could replace the one bond with two electrons. In the case for KCl the electronegativity difference between potassium and chloride is so strong (.82 vs. 3.16, respectively) that the bond is considered ionic. The electrons aren't really considered "shared"; rather, the valence electrons are nearly completely coopted by the chloride. This property as illustrated by the Lewis Dot Structure gives KCl many of its properties as will be explored in the following paragraphs.

KCl Dissolving in Water. Source

How does KCl (potassium chloride) act as a solute?

As a result of its ionic character as shown in the Lewis Dot Structure it has a great partial positive and partial negative charge on either end. Therefore it dissolves very well in polar solvents such as water (shown above). Water molecules essentially surround the different individual ions and thereby disassociate the salt into solution. However since you need many water molecules per ion there can be a point where you saturate the solution. This means that no more salt can be disassociated unless you add more of the polar solvent.

KCl Molecule. Created with MolView.

Is KCl (potassium chloride) polar or nonpolar?

As you may have guessed from the above paragraph, KCl is a polar molecule due to the great electronegativity difference discussed before. This incredibly large difference means that the compound is a solid at standard pressure and temperature with a melting point of 770˚C and a boiling point of 1420˚C. The act of disassociation as mentioned above is not equivalent to melting the pure compound into a liquid as we are discussing here. These properties are also presupposed in the Lewis Dot Structure for KCl.

KCl Salt. Source

How is KCl (potassium chloride) utilized in the real world?

There are a wide variety of uses for potassium chloride. There are different fertilizers which are composed of KCl for usage in agriculture. Due to the necessity of potassium in biological systems the salt form shown above is often consumed by those who are potassium-deficient. In regular food it can be utilized as a table salt (NaCl) substitute in order to lower the actual Na+ salt content in someones diet. Lastly it is found in many different niche industrial uses as a "ice" salt or in the creation of potassium metal for example. In conclusion, the different properties that allow for these utilizations are exemplified by the Lewis Dot Structure for KCl.

The Lewis Dot Structure for CS2

CS2 Lewis Structure. Created by MakeTheBrainHappy

This is the Lewis Dot Structure for Carbon Disulfide (CS2). As we've discussed before you could replace each bond with two electrons which would represent well how through the sharing of electrons each atom achieves a full octet. The combination of four electrons for the bonds and four electrons in lone pairs equals eight for sulfur while bonds supply eight electrons for the central carbon atom. This is a common feature for carbon as it is unlikely for this element in particular to have lone pair electrons.

The lewis dot structure for CS2 also predicts many of the properties of the molecule. Due to the presence of large sulfide atoms over for comparison oxygen atoms in CO2 the molecule has a greater capacity for temporary london dispersion forces. As a result there can be more induced dipoles which increases the solubility of CS2. The compound is slightly soluble within water and much more soluble in less polar compounds such as alcohol or even nonpolar compounds like benzene.

CS2 Liquid State. Source

How is CS2 utilized in the real world?

Due to the stronger induced dipoles CS2 also has a greater melting and boiling point. This means that the compound is a liquid at standard temperature and pressure. This concept is discussed further in our article on the polarity of CS2 which you can learn more about in the next section. There are only a limited number of uses for CS2 due to its pretty toxic properties. One of these uses is as a solvent for other nonpolar compounds. These include many elements like phosphorus and sulfur and also larger compounds like fats, resins and rubber. There also other uses for different chemical reactions involved in metallurgy and rubber production. One of the most popular reactions involving CS2 produces carbon tetrachloride (CCl4).

Is CS2 polar or nonpolar?

If you are interested in learning more about this subject, feel free to read this article on whether CS2 is polar or nonpolar. The article will also discuss some of the ways in which CS2 differs from CO2. In addition it will also go into the underlying reasons behind the determination of CS2s polarity.

Volcanic eruption. Source

How can CS2 be formed naturally?

CS2 (carbon disulfide) can be formed naturally by volcanic eruptions or in marshes. The way this reaction occurs is actually very compatible with how you can see the molecule within the Lewis Dot Structure. Elemental carbon and sulfide combine at very high temperatures to form CS2. However, it should be noted that there is only a very small amount of the compound formed in this process.