Drawing Lewis structure of O2 step by step

Drawing Lewis structure of O2 step by step

The correct answer and explanation is:

To draw the Lewis structure of O₂, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Count the Total Number of Valence Electrons

Each oxygen (O) atom has 6 valence electrons because it is in Group 16 of the periodic table. Since there are two oxygen atoms in O₂, you have:
6 electrons × 2 = 12 valence electrons in total.

Step 2: Draw the Skeleton Structure

Since the molecule consists of two oxygen atoms, the simplest skeleton structure will connect the two oxygen atoms with a single bond (O—O).

Step 3: Distribute the Electrons

In a single bond, each bond consists of two electrons. So, place two electrons between the oxygen atoms to form the O—O bond. This leaves you with:
12 total electrons – 2 electrons used for the bond = 10 electrons remaining.

Step 4: Complete the Octet for Each Oxygen Atom

Oxygen needs 8 electrons to satisfy the octet rule. The two oxygen atoms each need 6 more electrons (since each already shares 2 electrons with the other atom).

Place three lone pairs (6 electrons) on each oxygen atom, so each oxygen now has 8 electrons (2 from the bond and 6 from lone pairs).

Step 5: Check for Octet Rule

At this point, each oxygen has 8 electrons, but there is still one more pair of electrons left to account for (since you have 10 electrons remaining).

To complete the structure, you can form a double bond (O=O) by moving one lone pair from each oxygen atom into the bond, sharing those electrons. This will result in both oxygen atoms having 8 electrons (4 electrons from the bond and 4 from the lone pairs).

Step 6: Final Structure

Now, the O₂ molecule has a double bond between the two oxygen atoms, with each oxygen atom having two lone pairs. The final structure will look like this:

   O = O

Each oxygen atom has 8 electrons around it, satisfying the octet rule. The Lewis structure of O₂ has 12 valence electrons in total, with a double bond between the oxygen atoms.

Explanation:

The Lewis structure of O₂ shows how atoms bond and how electrons are shared or paired to form a stable molecule. The oxygen-oxygen double bond in O₂ is a common feature in diatomic molecules of elements in Group 16. The lone pairs around each oxygen atom indicate that each atom retains some of its valence electrons. This structure helps to illustrate the molecule’s bonding and electron distribution, essential for understanding its chemical behavior.