Practice: Lewis Structures & Covalent Bonds

Front

What is a Lewis structure?

Back

A Lewis structure is a diagram that represents the bonding between atoms of a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist in the molecule.

Front

What are covalent bonds?

Back

Covalent bonds are chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Front

What is the octet rule?

Back

The octet rule states that atoms tend to form bonds in such a way that they have eight electrons in their valence shell, achieving a stable electron configuration.

Front

How do you determine the number of valence electrons in an element?

Back

The number of valence electrons can be determined by looking at the group number of the element in the periodic table.

Front

What is the significance of lone pairs in Lewis structures?

Back

Lone pairs are pairs of valence electrons that are not involved in bonding and can affect the shape and reactivity of the molecule.

Front

What is the difference between a single bond, double bond, and triple bond?

Back

A single bond involves one pair of shared electrons, a double bond involves two pairs, and a triple bond involves three pairs of shared electrons.

Front

What is the Lewis structure for methane (CH₄)?

Back

The Lewis structure for methane shows one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms, with no lone pairs.

Front

How do you represent a negative charge in a Lewis structure?

Back

A negative charge is represented by adding an extra electron to the total count of valence electrons for that atom.

Front

What is the Lewis structure for water (H₂O)?

Back

The Lewis structure for water shows one oxygen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms, with two lone pairs on the oxygen.

Front

What is the role of resonance in Lewis structures?

Back

Resonance occurs when a molecule can be represented by two or more valid Lewis structures, indicating that the actual structure is a hybrid of these forms.