Hobbies And Interests
Lewis Dot Structure
In a chemical bond, the valence electrons move around different atoms. In order to keep track of the valence electrons for each atom, a Lewis dot structure is used. The Lewis dot structure uses dots around the element symbol to represent the number of valence electrons present. For instance, oxygen has six valence electrons; therefore, around the element symbol for oxygen (O) you would put six dots.
Structural Formula
The structural formulas illustrate the position of the atoms and the covalent bonds between them. The structural formula uses lines to represent the bonds rather than dots for the electrons. One line represent a bond that connects the atoms together. Each line also represents one shared pair of electrons.
Paired Electrons
The paired electrons in a structural formula are represented as a line. The exact placement of the paired electrons around the element symbol is not a specific order; therefore, you can place a line for the paired electrons anywhere around the element symbol. For instance, a chemical with the molecular formula CH4 has four valence electrons that pair with four of the hydrogen atoms to create eight electrons around the carbon atom. The paired electrons represent a bond and for each pair a line can be drawn. In this case, you would draw four lines around the carbon atom to represent chemical bonds.
Linear Molecules
A linear molecule is a molecule that contains two atoms that form a straight line. In a Lewis structure, the atom of a linear molecule bonds with two other atoms and has no unshared electrons. The electrons are on opposite sides of the atom and form a bond angle at 180 degrees, forming a straight line.