How to Draw the Lewis Structure for GeH4

To draw the Lewis structure for GeH₄ (germane), we need to follow a few simple steps:

1. Count the Total Valence Electrons: Germanium (Ge) is in group 14 of the periodic table, so it has 4 valence electrons. Each hydrogen (H) contributes 1 valence electron, and since there are four hydrogens, they contribute a total of 4 electrons. Therefore, the total number of valence electrons for GeH₄ is:
   
   4 (from Ge) + 4 (from H₄) = 8 valence electrons.
2. Determine the Central Atom: In GeH₄, germanium is less electronegative than hydrogen, making it the central atom.
3. Place the Atoms and Connect with Bonds: Place the germanium atom in the center and surround it with four hydrogen atoms. Connect each hydrogen atom to the germanium atom with a single bond. Each bond represents 2 electrons. Thus, 4 bonds will use 8 electrons (2 electrons per bond x 4 bonds = 8 electrons).
4. Check the Octet Rule: Germanium will have 8 electrons surrounding it through the four single bonds, satisfying the octet rule. Hydrogen atoms, each bonded to germanium, will have 2 electrons, satisfying their requirement.

This leads us to the following Lewis structure for GeH₄:



In this structure, all bonding electron pairs are shown as lines (single bonds) between the Ge and the H atoms, and there are no lone pairs on the germanium or hydrogen atoms.

Summary: The Lewis structure for GeH₄ has one germanium atom in the center with four hydrogen atoms bonded to it, with all valence electrons accounted for in the bonds. There are no nonbonding pairs of electrons present in this molecule.