How to Draw the Lewis Structure for HCl

To draw the Lewis structure for HCl (Hydrogen Chloride), follow these steps:

1. Count the total number of valence electrons: Hydrogen has 1 valence electron, and Chlorine has 7 valence electrons. Therefore, the total number of valence electrons is 1 + 7 = 8.
2. Determine the central atom: In HCl, Hydrogen (H) is the central atom because it is less electronegative than Chlorine (Cl).
3. Draw the skeletal structure: Place the Hydrogen atom in the center and the Chlorine atom on one side, connected by a single bond.
4. Distribute the remaining electrons: After forming the single bond between H and Cl, you have 6 electrons left. These electrons are placed as lone pairs on the Chlorine atom.
5. Check the octet rule: Chlorine now has 8 electrons around it (2 from the bond and 6 as lone pairs), satisfying the octet rule. Hydrogen has 2 electrons (from the bond), which is also stable.

The final Lewis structure for HCl looks like this:

  H — Cl
      :
      :
      :

In this structure, the single line represents the bond between Hydrogen and Chlorine, and the dots represent the lone pairs on Chlorine.