Periodic Table Study Guide

How to Draw Lewis Structures

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 Objective/Warm-up
 SWBAT draw Lewis dot structures.
 How many valence electrons do each of the following
elements have?
 Ca
K
O
S
C
 Br
N
Groups -
Review Group 8 = 8 electrons

Group 1 = 1 electron
Except for He, it has 2
Group 2 = 2 electrons electrons

•Each column is
called a “group”

•Each element in a
group has the same
number of electrons
in their outer orbital.

•The electrons in the

outer shell are called
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“valence electrons”
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.

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Lewis Structures
1) Write the element symbol.
2) Carbon is in the 4th group, so
it has 4 valence electrons.
3) Starting at the right, draw 4
electrons, or dots, around the
element symbol.
 Review-Octet Rule
 Atoms bond in order to have 8 valence electrons.
 Exception:
 Hydrogen only needs 2 valence electrons to be complete.
 Rules for drawing Example:
CH2Cl2
Lewis Dot Structures
1. Count all the valence electrons for C= 4 valence
your atoms. H=1 x 2 valence

2. Draw the first atom (Second atom if Cl=7 x 2 valence

the first is Hydrogen) listed in the Total=20 valence
center, then connect all other
atoms to the center atom with
single bonds.

3. Each bond counts as 2 electrons.

4. Complete any octets with
remaining electrons.
 Try these…
 CH4
 NF3
 Double and triple bonds
 What happens if you don’t have enough electrons?
 Example:
 CO2
 Make double or triple bonds.
 Try these…
 OF2
 O2
 N2
 C2H6
 C2H4
 C2H2
 SO3
 Helpful Hints
 Remember: your Lewis structure may contain multiple
bonds (single, double, or triple)

 When arranging your atoms, atoms are often written in

the order in which they are connected in a molecule or
ion (C is almost always your central atom; carbon forms
4 bonds)
 Examples
Draw the dot structure:

 H2O
 CH3Br
 CS2
 CH2O
 O3
 Closure
 Explain the steps to writing electron dot structures.