The Lewis dot structure of C2H2 (ethyne or acetylene) illustrates how the atoms in the molecule are bonded together. In this molecule, two carbon atoms are bonded to each other with a triple bond, and each carbon atom is also bonded to one hydrogen atom.
To draw the Lewis dot structure for C2H2, follow these steps:
- Count the total number of valence electrons: Each carbon has 4 valence electrons, and each hydrogen has 1 valence electron. Therefore, the total is (2 x 4) + (2 x 1) = 8 valence electrons.
- Determine the arrangement of atoms: Place the two carbon atoms in the center and the hydrogen atoms on the outside.
- Connect the carbon atoms with three bonds (to represent the triple bond) and connect each carbon atom to one hydrogen atom with a single bond.
This gives you the following structure:
H-C≡C-H
In this structure, the triple bond between the carbon atoms is represented by three lines (≡), signifying that they share three pairs of electrons, while each carbon atom shares one pair of electrons with a hydrogen atom. This structure minimizes the energy and fulfills the octet rule for the carbon atoms, making C2H2 a stable molecule.