Periodic Table Study Guide How to Draw Lewis Structures www.middleschoolscience.com 2008

Lewis Structures Find your element on the periodic table. Determine the number of valence electrons. This is how many electrons you will draw.

Lewis Structures Find out which group (column) your element is in. This will tell you the number of valence electrons your element has. You will only draw the valence electrons. www.chem4kids.com

15 – 5 electrons 16 – 6 electrons Groups - Review Group 18 = 8 electrons Group 1 = 1 electron GROUP 13 – 3 electrons 14 – 4 electrons 15 – 5 electrons 16 – 6 electrons 17 – 7 electrons Except for He, it has 2 electrons Group 2 = 2 electrons Each column is called a “group” Each element in a group has the same number of electrons in their outer orbital, also known as “shells”. The electrons in the outer shell are called “valence electrons” www.chem4kids.com

Lewis Structure for Carbon Write the element symbol C Find what group (column) that carbon is in on the Periodic Table so that you know the number of valence (outer level) electrons: *Since it is in group 14, it has 4 outer electrons Draw the electrons as dots around the sides of the symbol C

C Lewis Structures Check your work. Using your periodic table, check that Carbon is in the 4th group. You should have 4 total electrons, or dots, drawn in for Carbon. C

Lewis Structures Try these elements in your notebook and then check your answers: H P Ca Ar Cl

Lewis Structure for Hydrogen

Lewis Structure for Phosphorus Click on page to watch the electron dots appear

Lewis Structure for Calcium Click on page to watch the electron dots appear

Lewis Structure for Argon Click on page to watch the electron dots appear Ar

Lewis Structure for Chlorine Click on the page to watch the electron dots appear Cl

End of Study Guide. Start your Project You should know how to draw Lewis Structures for the first 20 elements.