Lewis

Dot Skittles Lab

Lewis structures are also known as electron dot structures. The diagrams are
named for Gilbert N. Lewis, who described them in 1916. Lewis structures depict
the bonds between atoms of a molecule as well as any unbonded electron pairs.
You can draw a Lewis dot structure for any covalent molecule or ionic bond. Lewis
dot structures deal only with valence electrons.

IONIC BONDING with LEWIS DOT STRUCTURES

Step 1: Write the atomic symbol for the atoms involved.
Step 2: Pick a separate color skittles for each atom involved
Step 3: Ionic bonds – lay out the electrons to be donated and show where they
go with an arrow.
Step 4: Show the final ions as positive and negative.

Make the following bonds and be able to explain what you did.

Ionic – donated electrons
Examples:

 Complete the following:

Now make some starting from these compounds without starter diagrams. Draw them in.

Lithium Fluoride

Magnesium Iodide

Calcium Chloride

COVALENT BONDING with LEWIS DOT STRUCTURES

Step 1: Write the atomic symbol for the atoms involved.
Step 2: Pick a separate color skittles for each atom involved
Step 3: Covalent bonds – lay out the electrons associated with each atom. Join
them up and show where they are shared.

Covalent Bonds – shared electrons

Turn the following 2 representations into Skittles Lewis dot structures and have them signed off by
your instructor!

1) Water, H2O

2) Methane, CH4

3) Carbon Dioxide CO2

4) Carbon Monoxide CO

5) Ethylene C2H4
Homework – Using colored pencils, draw Lewis Dot Structures for all of the following. You must
determine if each is ionic or covalent in order to do this correctly, so make sure to label each either ionic
or covalent.

1) Hydrogen Chloride

2) Sodium Bromide

3) Barium Fluoride

4) Copper oxide

5) Diatomic Nitrogen gas

6) Zinc carbide

7) Hydroxide ion

8) Peroxide ion
9) Ammonia

10) Ammonium ion

11) Dinitrogen tetrahydride

12) C2H4Cl2

13) Diatomic oxygen gas

14) C2H3N

15) CH2O

16) Dinitrogen dihydride

17) Aluminum Phosphide

18) Silicon sulfide