Name: _____________________ Unit 3:2

Period: _____________________ Oxidation Numbers, Notation, Lewis Dot Diagrams

The oxidation numbers tell you how many electrons an element will gain or lose.
Oxidation Numbers
This tells you how it will combine with other elements.

Atoms gain or lose 1 Oxidation Numbers 0

electrons when near
certain other 1A 18A
elements to fulfill 1
2 3 4 -3 -2 -1 2 The elements in
the octet rule: H He
2A 13A 14A 15A 16A 17A column 18A (the
“If I 8 I full”.
Noble Gases) have
Full electron levels 3 4 Divides 5 6 7 8 9 10
an oxidation # of 0.
are more stable. If Li Be metals and B C N O F Ne
This means they
an atom has 1 or 2 non-metals
don’t gain or lose
valence electrons it 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
electrons, so they
will lose them to
don’t react or
have a full inner
19 20 31 32 33 34 35 36
form compounds.
level. If an atom has Transition Metals
K Ca Ga Ge As Se Br Kr They are INERT.
6 or 7 valence (Oxidation #s vary)
electrons, it will
gain electrons to fill
an electron level.
1 2 3 4 -3 -2 -1 0

Metals Positive because

they LOSE
Non-metals Negative because
they GAIN
(Positive Ions) electrons. (Negative Ions) electrons.

Losers of electrons become positive Subscripts tell you

Notation
(a positive ion). the number of atoms
Electrons are negative, so losing in a molecule.
Charge negatives makes it more positive.
Chemical 1+ (Oxidation #) O2 2 Oxygen atoms
symbol Na 2 Number
Mg 2+
Lost 2 electrons
No number means 1 atom
of atoms Gainers of electrons become negative
(a negative ion). 2 Hydrogen atoms
The above notation tells you that each of
the Sodium atoms lost 1 electron.
Electrons are negative, so gaining H2O 1 Oxygen atoms
Since there are 2 Sodium atoms, there
negatives makes it more negative.
1 Sulfur atom
were 2 electrons lost (1 each).
The charge is the oxidation number. O 2–
Gained 2 electrons SO4 4 Oxygen atoms

Dot Diagrams (sometimes known as Lewis dot diagrams) are a depiction of an atom’s
Lewis Dot Diagrams valence electrons. They are a powerful tool in helping you understand, see, and even
predict molecular bonding.

The dots represent Openings show where X’s can be used to

Electrons can move
valence electrons electrons can be gained or keep track of electrons
around for bonding.
shared from other atoms. from other atoms.

Ne O Open
Mg Mg Li Cl
Right Also right
Neon has 8 valence electrons Oxygen has 6 valence Magnesium has 2 valence The x shows that Lithium
and no openings. Neon has electrons, so it wants electrons. It will lose them to gives its one valence electron
fulfilled the octet rule and will 2 more to be full. a non-metal and become a to Chlorine. Chlorine now
not react with other atoms. positive ion. has 8 and is full.

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Name: _____________________ Unit 3:2
Period: _____________________

1. Oxidation #s A. Show the number of atoms in a 1. Metals A. Elements in column 18A that don’t
molecule. combine into molecules.
2. Negative ion B. An atom that lost electrons. 2. Nonmetals B. The oxidation numbers of these
elements can vary.
3. Positive ion C. Shows the number of electrons 3. Octet Rule
commonly gained or lost. C. Elements that lose electrons.
4. Subscript D. Way to show an atom’s valence 4. Noble Gases D. Elements that gain electrons.
electrons to visualize bonding.
5. Lewis Dot 5. Transition E. Atoms tend to be more stable with
Diagrams E. An atom that gains electrons. Metals 8 valence electrons.

Give abbreviations and oxidation numbers Give these elements with oxidation # in ion notation

Calcium (Ca) +2
Potassium (____)________
Chlorine (____) ________
Helium (____) _________
Aluminum (____) _______
. Carbon (____) _________
Nitrogen (____) _________
Hydrogen (____) ________
Magnesium (____) ______
Krypton (____) _________
Oxygen (O) O2– . Fluorine (____) ________
Nitrogen (____)_________ Lithium (____) _________
Beryllium (____) _______ Hydrogen (____)________
Silicon (____) __________ Calcium (____) ________
Boron (____)___________ Bromine (____) ________

MgCl2 How many Chlorines? ___________
Li2O How many Oxygen? ____________
Al2O3 How many Aluminums? _________
C12H22O11 How many Hydrogens? __________
CO2 How many Carbons? ____________
H2O How many Hydrogens? __________
MgCl2 How many total atoms? _____________
Li2O How many total atoms? _____________
Al2O3 How many total atoms? _____________
C6H12O6 How many total atoms? _____________
CO2 How many total atoms? _____________
H2O How many total atoms? _____________

How many electrons are gained or lost? Draw the Lewis Dot Diagrams for the following.
Na1+ Lost 1 . Cu2+ _________
3+
Al __________ Cl1- _________ Carbon Magnesium Oxygen Helium
2-
O __________ N3- _________
0
He __________ Si4+ _________

Give abbreviations and valence electrons

Oxygen (O ) 6 .
Lithium (____) _________
Bromine (____) ________
Helium (____) _________
Aluminum (____) _______
Aluminum Argon Lithium Fluorine
Silicon (____) __________
Nitrogen (____) _________
Hydrogen (____) ________
Magnesium (____) ______
Draw 3 different Lewis Dot Diagrams for Nitrogen.
Neon (____) ___________

Which of these is incorrect?

A. B. C. D.

Be Be Be Be Draw Lewis Dot Diagrams for Lithium and Oxygen, then put
them together to find how they combine.
Put boxes around any electrons openings Lithium Oxygen Combined

O F C K
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