"Loopy" Dot Diagrams

Purpose:
To practice skills in drawing Lewis electron dot diagrams.
Compounds:
ICl NH3 MgS H2O PCl3
MgCl2 CO2 HCN SO32- CH4
CHCl3 O2 CH2F2 CO OH-

Directions:
1. Pick out the ionic compounds from the list above (How do you know?) Use fruit
loops of the same color to make a "dot" diagram of each atom (use different colors for
different elements). You may use table markers to write the symbols for the atoms in
the center if that helps you. Transfer electrons to form the proper charge of each ion.
Make a drawing of the dot diagram of the compound on your paper, using an "x" or a
"º " to indicate the different colors. Draw the bracket and write the charge of each ion
at the top right.
2. Now you will make the rest of the covalent compounds by sharing the electrons
between atoms.
a. Use fruit loops of the same color for each type of atom and collect together all the
valence electrons needed for the molecule.
b. Add or subtract electrons for charges on polyatomic ions.
c. Make bonds by showing one electron from each atom being shared in the bond
(one color from each atom).
d. Add the remaining e- as pairs to all outer atoms in the molecule attempting to give
an octet
i. If all valence electrons have been assigned and atoms have not achieved an
octet, add multiple bonds (doubles or triples)
ii. If all atoms have an octet and not all valence e- have been assigned, add the
remaining electrons to the central atom (expanded octets only happen in the
3rd period and below)
e. Remember the total # of valence electrons for the compound should be equal to
the # of valence electrons for all of the atoms in the compound added together
(adjusted for polyatomic ions)
f. Make a drawing of the dot diagram of the covalent compound, using different
symbols like "x" or a "º " to indicate the different colors.

Questions:
1. How is ionic bonding different from covalent bonding?
2. How is ionic bonding similar to covalent bonding?
3. What determines the size of the charge of an ion?
4. Even though chemists use the terms ionic and covalent, most elements form bonds
that have characteristics that are somewhere in between these 2 extremes. This is
certainly true of polar covalent bonds. What are polar covalent bonds, and how are
they different from ionic bonds and non-polar covalent bonds?