Lewis Dot Structure Calculator

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  1. Ionic Lewis Dot Structure Calculator
  2. Lewis Dot Structure Calculator
  3. Lewis Dot Structure Calculator

Every chemistry student has to learn how to draw Lewis Dot Structures. The key is to understand the steps and practice.

Lewis Structures are important to learn because they help us predict:

Get the free 'Lewis structure' widget for your website, blog, Wordpress, Blogger, or iGoogle. Find more Chemistry widgets in Wolfram Alpha. ChemDoodle will help guide your drawing to create the most aesthetic figures using a feature we call the 'Optimize Zone' for standard bond angles and lengths. Just move your mouse out of the zone to override it. Chemical Labels. In addition to the standard elemental labels, you can input any custom label you desire. ‹ Lewis Dot Structures up Resonance Structures › These tutorials are sponsored by PhySy, the maker of PhySyCalc on iPhone, iPad, or Mac OS, and RMN on Mac OS. PhySyCalc is the only calculator app that let's you use units directly in calculations. Every chemistry student has to learn how to draw Lewis Dot Structures. The key is to understand the steps and practice. Lewis Structures are important to learn because they help us predict: the shape of a molecule. How the molecule might react with other molecules. The physical properties of the molecule (like boiling point, surface tension, etc.). Lewis Dot Structure Calculator - groovylasopa. Lewis Dot Structures. This demo will convert a skeletal figure, provided by a drawing in the HTML5 SketcherCanvas component on the left, into a Lewis Dot Structure in the Canvas on the right. When you are finished drawing your 2D structure, click on the Get Lewis Dot Structure button to see the result.

  • the shape of a molecule.
  • how the molecule might react with other molecules.
  • the physical properties of the molecule (like boiling point, surface tension, etc.).
Lewis dot structure calculator with dotsLewis Dot Structure Calculator

That helps us understand and predict interactions with things like medicine and our body, materials used to make buildings and airplanes, and all sorts of other substances. Lewis structures don't tell us everything, but along with molecule geometry and polarity they are hugely informative.

Structure
Search 100+ Lewis Structures on our site.
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Lewis Dot Structure Calculator

Click the Chemical Formula to see the Lewis Structure

Acetone(C3H6O)
AsCl3(Arsenic Trichloride)
AsF3(Arsenic Trifluoride)
AsF5(Arsenic Pentafluoride)
AsF6-(AsF6-)
AsH3(Arsenic Trihydride)
AsO33-(Arsenite Ion)
BBr3(Boron Tribromide)
BCl3(Boron Trichloride)
BF3(Boron Trichloride)
BF4-(Tetrafluoroborate Ion)
BH3(Boron Hydride)
BH4-(BH4-)
B(OH)3(B(OH)3)
BeCl2(Beryllium Chloride)
BeF2(Beryllium Fluoride)
BeH2(Beryllium Hydride)
Br2(Bromine Gas or Elemental Bromine)
Br3-(Tribromide Ion)
BrF(Bromine Monofluoride)
BrF2(Bromine Difluoride)
BrCl3(Bromine Trichloride)
BrF3(Bromine Trifluoride)
BrF5(Bromine Pentafluoride)
BrO-(Hypobromite Ion)
BrO2-(Bromite Ion)
BrO3-(Bromate Ion)
C22-(Dicarbide Ion)
CBr4(Carbon Tetabromide)
CCl4(Carbon Tetachloride)
ClF(Chlorine Monofluoride)
CF2Cl2(Dichlorodifluoromethane)
CH2Cl2(CH2Cl2)
CH3-(CH3-)
CH3Br(CH3Br)
CH3Cl(Chloromethane or Methyl Chloride)
CH3CN(Acetonitril or Methyl Cyanide)
CH3COO-CH3COO-
CH3COOH(Acetic Acid)
CH3F(CH3F)
CH3NH2(Methylamine)
CH3NO2(CH3NO2)
CH3OCH3(Dimethyl Ether or Methoxymethane)
CH3OH(Methanol or Methyl Alcohol)
CH4(Methane)
C2F4(C2F4)
C2H2(Ethyne or Acetylene)
C2H2Br2(C2H2Br2)
C2H2Cl2(C2H2Cl2)
C2H4(Ethene)
C2H6(Ethane)
C2H6OC2H6O
C3H6(C3H6)
C3H8(Propane)
C4H10(Butane)
C6H6(Isomers - including Benzene)
C6H12(C6H12)
CHCl3(Chloromethane)
CH2F2(Difluoromethane)
CH2O(Methanal or Formaldehyde)
CH4O(CH4O)
Cl2(Chlorine Gas or Elemental Chlorine)
Cl2CO(Cl2CO)
Cl2O(Dichlorine Monoxide)
Cl3PO(Phosphoryl Trichloride)
ClF3(Chlorine Trifluoride)
ClF5(Chlorine Tetrafluoride)
ClO-(Hypochlorite Ion)
ClO2(Chlorine Dioxide)
ClO2-(Chlorite Ion)
ClO3-(Chlorate Ion)
ClO4-(Perchlorate Ion)
CO(Carbon monoxide)
CO2(Carbon Dioxide)
CO32-(Carbonate Ion)
COCl2(COCl2)
COF2(COF2)
COH2(COH2)
CN-(Cyanide Anion)
CS2(Carbon Disulfide)
F2(Fluorine Gas, Difluorine)
H2(Hydrogen Gas or Elemental Hydrogen)
H2CO(Formaldehyde or Methanal)
H2CO3(Carbonic Acid)
H2O(Water or Dihydrogen monoxide)
H3O+(Hydronium Ion)
H2O2(Hydrogen Peroxide or Dihydrogen Dioxide)
HBr (Hydrogen Bromide or Hydrobromic Acid)
HF (Hydrogen Fluoride or Hydrofluoric Acid)
HCCH (Ethyne)
HCl (Hydrogen Chloride or Hydrochloric Acid)
HCO2- (Formate Ion)
HCO3- (Hydrogen Carbonate Ion or Bicarbonate Ion)
HCOOH (Methanoic Acid or Formic Acid)
HI (Hydrogen Iodide or Hydroiodic Acid)
HClO3 (Chloric Acid)
HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide)
HNO2 (Nitrous Acid)
HNO3 (Nitric Acid)
H2S (Dihydrogen Sulfide)
HOCl (Hypochlorous Acid)
H2Se(Dihydrogen Selenide)
HSO3- (Bisulfite Ion)
HSO4- (Bisulfate Ion)
H2SO3 (Sulfurous Acid)
H2SO4 (Sulfuric Acid)
H3PO4 (Phosphoric Acid)
I2(Iodine Gas or Elemental Iodine)
I3-(I3-)
IBr2- (IBr2-)
ICl (Iodine Chloride)
ICl2- (ICl2-)
ICl3 (ICl3)
ICl4- (ICl4-)
ICl5 (Iodine Pentachloride)
IF2- (IF2-)
IF3 (Iodine Trifluoride)
IF4- (IF4-)
IF5 (Iodine Pentafluoride)
IO3- (Iodate Ion)
IO4- (Perioiodate Ion)
N2(Nitrogen Gas, also called Elemental Nitrogen)
N3-(Azide Ion)
N2F2 (Dinitrogen Difluoride)
N2H2 (Dinitrogen Dihydride)
N2H4 (Dinitrogen Tetrahydride or Hydrazine or Diamine)
N2O3 (Dinitrogen Trioxide)
N2O4 (Dinitrogen Tetroxide)
N2O5 (Dinitrogen Pentoxide)
NCl3(Nitrogen Trichloride)
NF3(Nitrogen Trifluoride)
NH2-(NH2-)
NH2Cl(Chloroamine)
NH2OH(Hydroxylamine)
NH3(Ammonium or Nitrogen Trihydride)
NH4+(Ammonium Ion)
NI3(Nitrogen Triiodide)
NO+(Nitrosonium Ion)
NO(Nitric Oxide or Nitrogen Monoxide)
N2O(Nitrous Oxide or Dinitrogen Monoxide)
NO2(Nitrogen Dioxide)
NO2-(Nitrite Ion)
NO2Cl(NO2Cl)
NO2F(NO2F)
NO3-(Nitrate Ion)
NOBr (Nitrosyl Bromide)
NOCl (Nitrosyl Chloride)
NOF (Nitrosyl Fluoride)
O2(Oxygen Gas, also called Elemental Oxygen)
O22-(Perioxide Ion)
O3(Ozone)
O3O3 Resonance Structures
OCl2(OCl2)
OCN-(Cyanate Ion)
OCS(OCS)
OF2(Oxygen Difluoride)
OH-(Hydroxide Ion)
PBr3Phosphorus Tribromide
PBr5Phosphorus Pentabromide
PCl3Phosphorus Trichloride
PCl4-PCl4-
PCl5Phosphorus Pentachloride
PF3Phosphorus Trifluoride
PF5Phosphorus Pentafluoride
PF6-Hexafluorophosphate Ion
PH3Phosphorus Trihydride
POCl3Phosphoryl Chloride or Phosphorus Oxychloride
PO33-(Phosphite Ion)
PO43-(Phosphate Ion)
SBr2(Sulfur Dibromide)
SCl2(Sulfur Dichloride)
SCl4(Sulfur Tetrachloride)
SCN-(Thiocyanate)
SeF4(Selenium Tetrafluoride)
SeF6(Selenium Hexafluoride)
SeO2(Selenium Dioxide)
SF2(Sulfur Difluoride)
SF4(Sulfur Tetrafluoride)
SF6(Sulfur Hexafluoride)
S2Cl2(Diulfur Dichloride)
SiCl4(Silicon Tetrachloride)
SiF4(Silicon Tetrafluoride)
SiF62-(Silicon Hexafluoride Ion)
SiH4(Silicon Tetrahydride)
SiO2(Silicon Dioxide)
SnCl2(Tin (II) Chloride)
SOCl2(SOCl2)
SO2(Sulfur Dioxide)
SO3(Sulfur Dioxide)
SO32-(Sulfite Ion)
SO42-(Sulfate Ion)
Water (H2O)
XeCl4Xenon Tetrachloride
XeF2XeF2
XeF4Xenon Tetrafluoride
XeF6Xenon Hexafluoride
XeH4XeO4
XeO3XeO3
XeO2F2XeO2F2

Steps for Writing Lewis Structures

  1. Find the total valence electrons for the molecule. Explain How Examples: H2S, NCl3, OH-

  2. Put the least electronegative atom in the center.
    Note: H always goes outside.
    Examples: NOCl, CF2Cl2, HCN

  3. Put two electrons between atoms to form a chemical bond. Examples: CH4, NH3, I2

  4. Complete octets on outside atoms.
    Note: H only needs two valence electrons.

  5. If central atom does not have an octet, move electrons from outer atoms to form double or triple bonds.
    Examples: O2, N2, C2H4

    6. Advanced Steps

  6. If you have extra electrons after the above steps add them to the central atom. Note: elements in the Period Three (usually S, P, or Xe) can have more than eight valence electrons.
    Examples: ClF3, SF4,XeH4

  7. Check the Formal Charges to make sure you have the best Lewis Structure. Explain How
    Examples: SO42-, N2O, XeO3

Notable Exceptions to the Octet Rule

  • H only needs 2 valence electrons.
  • Be and B don’t need 8 valence electrons.
  • S and P sometimes have more than 8 val. Electrons.
  • Elements in Period Three, Four, etc (on the periodic table) can hold more than 8 valence electrons.

Sometimes it's difficult to tell which of two possible Lewis structures of a compound represents the actual bonding of the molecule. In those cases we resort to calculating what's called the formal charge of each atom. Formal charge is just a way of bookkeeping that helps us to decide which of multiple Lewis structures is the likely true bonding arrangement of a covalent molecule. The sum of the formal charges, with a couple of extra rules, will help us to decide which of multiple-possible valid Lewis structures is likely to be the correct one. Here's how it's done.

Calculating formal charge

For each atom

Ionic Lewis Dot Structure Calculator

  1. Count the number of valence electrons of the neutral atom.

  2. Subtract the number of non-bonding electrons (usually in lone pairs).

  3. Subtract the number of bonds shared by the atom.

Lewis Dot Structure Calculator

Example: CH4 (methane)

The carbon in CH4 has four electrons as a neutral atom. It has no lone pairs, and it shares four bonds, so the formal charge is zero. Each hydrogen atom has one electron as a neutral atom, no lone pairs and shares one bond, for a formal charge of zero. All atoms in the molecule have zero formal charge, the 'happiest' situation for any molecule.

Example: H3C(CO)CH3, (acetone)

Lewis Dot Structure Calculator

The central carbon has a formal charge of 4 (valence electrons) - 0 (lone pairs) - 4 (bonds) = 0. The oxygen has a formal charge of 6 - 4 - 2 = 0 (same ordering of terms). Each of the methyl (CH3) carbons has a formal charge of 4 - 0 - 4 = 0