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Topic: HELP WITH Lewis Structures???  (Read 7498 times)

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Offline annalevy

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HELP WITH Lewis Structures???
« on: November 13, 2006, 05:47:56 PM »
AHHHHHHHHH my chemistry teacher doesn't teach!
How do I make a Lewis Structure out of IBr, CH3BR , C2HCI, SiCI4 , and F2[/subO ?

Please *delete me*

--confused chemistry student

Offline DevaDevil

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Re: HELP WITH Lewis Structures???
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2006, 06:26:07 PM »
Start with counting the valence electrons in each atom.
See if there is a logical choice for a central atom (where more atoms will be bonded to; like Carbon which has 4 valence electrons, hence will try to form 4 bonds, or Nitrogen which has 5 valence electrons, thus tries to form 3 bonds)
Then pair them up in bonds to have every atom surrounded by 8 electrons (a bond is 2 shared electrons, they count towards the 8 for both atoms in the bond)

I give the example of IBr:
Each has 7 valence electrons; they will try to make 8 each, thus will form 1 bond. The other 6 electrons per atom (the ones not needed for the bond) will be drawn as unbound electron pairs around the atoms.
Each atom now has 8 electrons surrounding it: 6 from the unbound pairs and 2 from the bond.

Offline constant thinker

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