Foundation reading 3 of 17 · ~5 min
Recognize simple bonding patterns
Your goal: Recognize the duet and octet guidelines and common neutral-atom bond counts.
A focused reading from Valence Electrons and the Octet Rule. Reading time is a Chem Help estimate.
Optional prerequisite review
Review if useful. These suggestions never lock a step.
The octet rule
Main-group atoms are most stable when they are surrounded by eight valence electrons, matching the nearest noble gas. Metals reach that count by losing electrons, nonmetals by gaining or sharing them.
Hydrogen is the exception that everyone must remember: it is complete with two electrons, matching helium.
Predicting bond number
For a neutral nonmetal, the usual number of covalent bonds is eight minus the group valence count.
Carbon with 4 valence electrons forms 4 bonds and no lone pairs, nitrogen with 5 forms 3 bonds and 1 lone pair, oxygen with 6 forms 2 bonds and 2 lone pairs, and fluorine with 7 forms 1 bond and 3 lone pairs.
Hydrogen forms exactly 1 bond.
Sources and further reading
- Chemistry 2e, Section 7.3: Lewis Symbols and StructuresOpenStax · Rice University · 7.3View source
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The current online Chemistry 2e edition lists CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. The source version used for this lesson and its applicable rights remain unverified.
Recorded use: further reading. The source record also indicates adaptation or summary; exact passages and applicable terms still need verification.
Recorded attribution / license claim (applicability unverified): CC BY 4.0
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