Valence Electrons and Lewis Structures Quiz

Study Notes

Valence Electrons and Lewis Structures

Germanium has four valence electrons, while transition metals generally have two valence electrons, with a few exceptions.
Lanthanides and actinides are located in the bottom two rows of the periodic table, with most having two valence electrons, except for lawrencium.
The octet rule states that elements are most stable when their valence shell contains eight electrons, except for hydrogen and helium.
Atoms and ions are less reactive when they have a full valence shell, as seen in noble gases.
The octet rule is typically satisfied when atoms gain or lose electrons to form ions, making them less reactive.
The octet rule is satisfied when atoms join to form compounds, with the number of additional valence electrons determining the number of bonds formed.
Carbon dioxide is an example of the octet rule being satisfied, with carbon forming a double bond with each oxygen to achieve a full octet.
Electron dot diagrams show the valence electrons of an atom, while Lewis structures show the valence electrons of a molecule or ion.
Silane's Lewis structure demonstrates silicon making single bonds with each of the four hydrogens to achieve a full octet.
To draw a basic Lewis structure, determine the number of valence electrons for each element and add bonds and lone pairs accordingly.
The Lewis structure of arsenic trifluoride shows arsenic forming three bonds with fluorine and having one lone pair, while fluorine has three lone pairs.
Nitrogen gas, being diatomic, has a Lewis structure with a triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms.