The Lewis dot diagram is a simple way to represent the valence electrons of an atom. For hydrogen, it’s quite straightforward. Here’s how you can draw it:
- Start by writing the chemical symbol for hydrogen, which is H.
- Hydrogen has only one valence electron. Place a single dot next to the symbol H to represent this electron.
That’s it! The Lewis dot diagram for hydrogen is simply the letter H with one dot next to it. This dot represents the single valence electron that hydrogen has.
Here’s a visual representation:
H•
This diagram helps in understanding how hydrogen can form bonds with other elements, as it seeks to either gain or share electrons to achieve a stable configuration.