- The table demonstrates how covalent bonds form between nonmetal atoms by sharing electrons.
- Each row shows a different molecule: H₂ (hydrogen gas), Cl₂ (chlorine gas), HCl (hydrogen chloride), and NH₃ (ammonia).
- For each molecule, the left column lists the atoms involved and their counts.
- The middle column uses Lewis dot diagrams to show how valence electrons are shared to form bonds, starting with individual atoms and showing the resulting bonded structure.
- The right column presents the simplified structural formula (stick diagram) representing the same molecule, where lines indicate covalent bonds.
- In H₂, two hydrogen atoms share one pair of electrons to form a single bond.
- In Cl₂, two chlorine atoms each contribute one electron to form a single bond; each chlorine also retains three lone pairs.
- In HCl, hydrogen shares one electron with chlorine; chlorine contributes one electron and retains three lone pairs.
- In NH₃, nitrogen shares one electron with each of three hydrogen atoms, forming three single bonds; nitrogen retains one lone pair.
- All examples follow the octet rule (or duet rule for hydrogen) to achieve stable electron configurations.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of bonding worksheet 5 lewis structures.
