How to do Electron dot diagrams?

Answer 1

take any element and look out how many valence electrons they have. beside transition metals (the middle part), the element will have the number of valence electrons that corresponds to their column.

for example oxygen is in group 6 (the 6th column excluding the transition metals). so i make 6 dots around it, and it has to go in pairs so its kind of like...
. .
: O :

if its Nitrogen who only has 5, then it looks like this
.
: N :

If you are having trouble in Chemistry such as I did when I took it, I recommend the Princeton Review 2006-2007 edition for AP Chemistry. Its a great book, I passed the chem ap with it (so if youre not ap it should help out even more)

:)
(oh the dots on top are supposed to be centered, yahoo kind of messed that up)

Answer 2

Choose an element on the periodic table, for example we'll use F. F has 7 valence electrons. Simply put F in the middle with 7 electrons around, 2 on each of the three sides and 1 on the last side representing 7 electrons.

When electrons are being shared, such as the molecule HF then the shared electrons are put in between. So in this case, H needs only 2 electrons and currently only has one, and F needs 8 electrons or one more. Therefore H and F will share an electron. It would look something like this:

H:F with the remaining 6 electrons surrounding the Fluorine.

When electrons are given or ionic reactions, such as the reaction between NaCl, then all of the electrons will surround the element that receives it. In this case, Cl is more electronegative than Na and therefore will take all of Na electrons. To draw a electron dot diagram you would put Na on one side and Cl next to Na but a space big enough so that it doesn't seem shared. Draw all of the 8 electrons around the Cl. Okay i hope that helps.

Answer 3

first write the chemical symbol from the periodic table.

next the number of electron dots to make depends on the periodic table this table will tell you the valence electrons (the electron dots). Group 1 (A) has 1 dot Group 2(A) 2 dots Group 13 (3A) 3 dots. Group 14 (4A) 4 dots Group 15 (5A) 5 dots Group 16 (6A) 6 dots group 17 (7A) 7 dots group 18 (8A) 8 dots.


The key is that each side of the chemical symbol hence He: is not correct.

Answer 4

Well, first you have to know how many valance electrons there are for your element. It should be between 1 and 8. Generally, the column it's in will tell you how many valance electrons it has (column 1, 1 electron, col. 2, 2 electrons, etc.) However, the transition metals do not follow this rule and you will need to know the whole 1s 2s thing.

Then, you just write the symbol for the element and draw little dots around it for the valance electrons. no more than two to a side, and dont put them all together.

have fun :)

-Elli

Answer 5

look at the valence number then make dots according to that number,pair up the dots and move around in a circular method around the element's symbol while making the other dots.