Multiple Choice
Which Lewis dot diagram represents an atom that needs 2 more electrons to complete its outermost shell?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Symbols
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Which of the following is the correct Lewis dot symbol for a nitrogen atom?
A
N with five dots arranged around the symbol
B
N with three dots arranged around the symbol
C
N with eight dots arranged around the symbol
D
N with six dots arranged around the symbol
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that the Lewis dot symbol represents the valence electrons of an atom as dots placed around the element's chemical symbol.
Determine the number of valence electrons for nitrogen by looking at its group number in the periodic table. Nitrogen is in group 15 (or group 5A), which means it has 5 valence electrons.
Draw the chemical symbol for nitrogen, which is 'N'.
Place five dots around the 'N' symbol to represent the five valence electrons. The dots are usually placed one at a time on each of the four sides (top, right, bottom, left) before pairing up.
Verify that the number of dots matches the number of valence electrons (5 for nitrogen), confirming that the correct Lewis dot symbol for nitrogen is 'N' with five dots arranged around it.
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