CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY

How do you figure out how many lone pairs each molecule has when you are drawing a lewis structure?

Lone pairs are the two dots next to the atom

You count the number of electrons that aren't shared in a bond between another molecule. For example in a C-O (single) bond, the oxygen has 3 lone pairs and Carbon has 3 lone pairs.

Well, generally most atoms wants to follow the octet rule. It depends on the total number of valence electrons, because you got to make sure the central atom has its' octet, then you add the lone pairs to the outside atoms. If you realize that there isn't enough for the outside, then you create the shared bonds.

In a Lewis structure they're the two dots on the sides.

a lone pair is 2 dots next to an atom

Lone pair electrons are just electrons that are not shared with another atom therefore just count the electrons that are not in between two atoms but instead only on the side of ONE atom.

lone pairs are going to be two single dots next to each other that are not bonded to anything, thus making them lone pairs.

As long as each atom in a molecule has an octet, including lone pairs, that is how you figure it out. When trying to determine whether to draw a lone pair or to add another bond, calculate formal charge to see what is optimal (always aim for formal charge of 0 on each atom).

Can lone pairs become bonds?

Lone pairs are the dots on a lewis structure that do not form bonds, for example, on an atom, they would be the two dots on the side.

It's easy to think of it as any valence electrons that aren't touching (being shared by) any other atoms in the lewis structure

You figure out the number of pairs not included in one of the bonds.