What is the Lewis Structure of C4H10?

The Lewis structure of C₄H₁₀, also known as butane, depicts how the atoms are arranged and bonded within the molecule. In butane, there are four carbon atoms and ten hydrogen atoms.

To draw the Lewis structure, follow these steps:

1. Count the total number of valence electrons: Each carbon atom has 4 valence electrons, and each hydrogen atom has 1. Therefore, the total is: (4 x 4) + (10 x 1) = 16 valence electrons.
2. Arrange the carbon atoms in a chain: Start with a straight chain of four carbon atoms — C-C-C-C.
3. Add hydrogen atoms: Each carbon needs to bond with enough hydrogen atoms to have 4 bonds (since carbon has a valence of 4). The structure will look like this:

       H   H   H   H
        |    |    |    |
   H--C--C--C--C--H
        |    |   
       H   H

In this diagram:

• Each line represents a bond between atoms.
• Each carbon atom is bonded to enough hydrogen atoms to fulfill its tetravalency.

This structure shows a straight-chain configuration for butane. Remember, C₄H₁₀ can also exist as isobutane, which has a branched structure, but the Lewis structure above represents the straight-chain form.