Determine the Lewis Dot Structure for the following compound:H₂Se.

• A.
• B.
• C.
• D.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the total number of valence electrons in the compound. Hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron and Selenium (Se) has 6 valence electrons. Therefore, H2Se has a total of 2(1) + 6 = 8 valence electrons.
2. Determine the central atom. In H2Se, Selenium (Se) is the central atom because it is less electronegative than Hydrogen (H) and can form more bonds.
3. Place the central atom (Se) in the center and arrange the Hydrogen atoms around it. Connect each Hydrogen atom to the Selenium atom with a single bond. This uses up 2 electrons per bond, totaling 4 electrons for the two H-Se bonds.
4. Distribute the remaining valence electrons around the central atom to satisfy the octet rule. After forming the bonds, 4 electrons remain (8 total - 4 used in bonds). Place these 4 electrons as lone pairs on the Selenium atom.
5. Verify that all atoms have a complete valence shell. Hydrogen atoms are satisfied with 2 electrons each, and Selenium should have 8 electrons around it, including the bonding and lone pairs.