Lewis Symbols and Structures
A Lewis Symbol is constructed by placing dots representing electrons in the outer energy around the symbol for the element. For many common elements, the number of dots corresponds to the element’s group number.
Drawing Lewis Structures
- Find the Total Number of Valence Electrons.
- Find the Number of Electrons Needed to Make the Atoms "Happy".
- Choose a Central Atom.
- Draw a Skeletal Structure.
- Place Electrons Around Outside Atoms.
- Place Remaining Electrons Around the Central Atom.
Atom Counts in Compounds
Fe2O3: The compound Fe2 O3 contains five atoms in each molecule of the compound.
CO: A molecule of carbon monoxide (CO) contains one carbon atom and one oxygen atom.
Additional Information
- Hydrogen peroxide is a highly reactive chemical containing the elements hydrogen and oxygen.