Science, Tech, Math › Science What Is a Skeletal Structure? Print ALFRED PASIEKA/Getty Images Science Chemistry Molecules Basics Chemical Laws Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on October 14, 2019 A skeletal structure is a graphical representation of the arrangement of atoms and bonds in a molecule. 2-D and 3-D Arrangements Skeletal structures are shown in two dimensions where element symbols are used for the atoms and solid lines to represent bonds between them. Multiple bonds are represented by multiple solid lines. Double bonds are shown with two lines and triple bonds are shown with three lines. Carbon atoms are implied when two bonds meet and no atom is listed. Hydrogen atoms are implied when the number of bonds is less than four on a carbon atom. Hydrogen atoms are shown if they are not bonded to a carbon atom. 3-D arrangements are represented by solid and hashed wedges. Solid wedges imply bonds coming towards the viewer and hashed wedges are bonds pointing away from the viewer. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is a Skeletal Structure?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/skeletal-structure-chemistry-definition-603585. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 27). What Is a Skeletal Structure? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/skeletal-structure-chemistry-definition-603585 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is a Skeletal Structure?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/skeletal-structure-chemistry-definition-603585 (accessed April 25, 2024). copy citation