Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 How to create a… Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 #1 Count the total number of valence electrons in the molecule C: 4 electrons x 1 atom = 4 valence electrons H: 1 electron x 4 atoms = 4 valence electrons Total = 8 valence electrons
Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 How to create a… Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 #2 Find the number of “octet” electrons for the molecule. C: 8 octet electrons x 1 atom = 8 octet electrons H: 2 octet electrons x 4 atoms = 8 octet electrons Total = 16 octet electrons Rules: Hydrogen always has 2 octet electrons Beryllium always has 4 octet electrons Boron wants 6 for neutral molecules (8 if it’s an anion)
Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 How to create a… Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 #3 Subtract the number of valence electrons from the number of octet electrons to find the number of bonding electrons. 16 – 8 = 8 bonding electrons
Because there are two electrons in every covalent bond! How to create a… Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 #4 Divide the number of bonding electrons by 2 to find the number of bonds in the molecule. 8 / 2 = 4 bonds in CH4 Why 2? Because there are two electrons in every covalent bond!
Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 How to create a… Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 #5 Draw an arrangement of atoms that has the number of bonds you found in step 4. Of course, there are more rules… Hydrogen and Halogens = bond once! Oxygen’s family and Beryllium bond twice in neutral molecules Nitrogen’s family and Boron bond 3 times in neutral molecules Carbon’s family = bonds 4 times!
Lewis Dot Structure …for CH4 More hints… How to create a… If you bond everything together and you have bonds left over, look for double/triple bonds. The atom nearest to the left side of the periodic table is probably in the middle of the molecule.
Draw the Lewis structures for the following compounds: H2O CCl4 NH3 CO2 PCL3
Draw the Lewis structures for the following compounds: CH4 C2H6 CH3OH BH3
Draw the Lewis structures for the following compounds: PBr3 N2H2 C2H2 SiH4 C2H4
Draw the Lewis structures for the following compounds: HF HCl CCl2F2