1. Periodic Table Study Guide
How to Draw Lewis Structures
2008

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

3. 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.

4. 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”

5. 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 outer electrons
Draw the electrons as dots
around the sides of the symbol C

6. 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

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

8. Lewis Structure for Hydrogen

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

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

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

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

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