Teaching Beginning Chemistry Students Simple Lewis Dot Structures

Abstract

Students beginning their initial study of chemistry often have a difficult time mastering simple Lewis dot structures. Textbooks show students how to manipulate Lewis structures by moving valence electron dots around the chemical structure so each atom has an octet or duet. However, an easier method of teaching Lewis structures for simple molecules, based on the octet rule (the fundamental concept of Lewis structures), enables most students to master drawing Lewis structures in one class session.