Chemical Education Journal (CEJ), Vol. 6, No. 2 /Registration No. 6-8/Received February 27, 2002.
URL = http://www.juen.ac.jp/scien/cssj/cejrnlE.html

A REVISED APPROACH IN WRITING LEWIS STRUCTURES

Wan-Yaacob Ahmad and Mat B. Zakaria*

*E-mail: drmbzak@ukm.my
School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
43600 UKM Bangi, MALAYSIA

ABSTRACT

A straightforward approach for drawing Lewis structures for polyatomic species is presented. Each charge of a simple polyatomic ion is first assigned to surrounding oxygen atoms followed by nitrogen and sulfur, or to the central atom in the case where the ion has only hydrogen or halogens as surrounding atoms. Typical covalent bonds for surrounding atoms are written to the central atom of a simple polyatomic ion or molecule. Then, assignment of lone pairs on the central atom produces a structure. Most multiple-bonded structures should be modified to generate a single Lewis structure or resonance structures. This approach can also be applied for larger polyatomic covalent species.

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