In a Lewis dot structure, what does a single stick or line drawn between two atoms represent?

• A. A lone pair of electrons on one atom
• B. A pi (π) bond formed by the side-to-side overlap of p orbitals
• C. A sigma (σ) bond formed by the direct overlap of atomic orbitals
• D. An ionic bond between two atoms

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that in Lewis dot structures, lines or sticks between atoms represent bonds formed by shared electrons.
2. Recall that a single line between two atoms specifically represents a single covalent bond, which involves the sharing of one pair of electrons.
3. Recognize that this single covalent bond is called a sigma (\sigma) bond, formed by the direct overlap of atomic orbitals along the axis connecting the two nuclei.
4. Differentiate this from a pi (\pi) bond, which involves side-to-side overlap of p orbitals and is usually represented by additional lines (double or triple bonds).
5. Note that lone pairs are shown as pairs of dots on a single atom, and ionic bonds are not represented by lines but rather by the transfer of electrons and resulting charges.