The Lewis symbol for the neutral atom arsenic (As) can be represented by its chemical symbol surrounded by dots that indicate its valence electrons. Arsenic has an atomic number of 33, which means it has 33 protons and, in its neutral state, 33 electrons. The electron configuration of arsenic is [Ar] 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p³, indicating that it has 5 valence electrons (2 from the 4s subshell and 3 from the 4p subshell).
To draw the Lewis symbol, we write the elemental symbol ‘As’ and then place five dots around it to represent the valence electrons. These dots are typically drawn as pairs where applicable, but for arsenic, we will have pairs of dots along with some single dots because it has an odd number of valence electrons.
The Lewis symbol for arsenic is depicted as follows:
As: • • • • •
In summary, the Lewis dot structure for arsenic illustrates the arrangement of its valence electrons, and it helps in understanding its bonding behavior with other elements.