Chemistry - How to Draw and Use Lewis Electron Dot Symbols in Chemistry
Lewis dot symbols are useful in showing the arrangement of the valence electrons in an atom. The valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom and are instrumental in forming chemical bonds. So, Lewis dot symbols can be used to determine the charge of the ion formed, the oxidation number and the number of bonds for the element. But an even better use for electron dot symbols is to join them together to form the Lewis structures of molecules or polyatomic ions. The purpose of Lewis structures is to show the number and kinds of bonds, and the way in which the atoms or ions are connected in the molecule or polyatomic ion. Many of these structures are simple and can be determined by inspection. While, others are a bit more complicated and require some thinking. Simple Molecules Many covalent compounds can be drawn by inspection using the valence electrons and the knowledge that covalent bonds are shared bonds. Just determine the Lewis dot structures of t...