1. Draw the Lewis structures for lithium and aluminum.
Lithium has one valence electron, while aluminum has three. The Lewis structures for these elements are:
Li: .Li
Al: .Al(.
2. Determine the charges of the ions formed.
Lithium will lose one electron to become a positively charged lithium ion (Li+), while aluminum will gain three electrons to become a negatively charged aluminum ion (Al3-).
3. Draw the ionic bond.
The ionic bond is represented by an arrow pointing from the positive ion (Li+) to the negative ion (Al3-). The resulting ionic compound is lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4).
The structural formula for lithium aluminum hydride is:
Li(+)---AlH4(-)
This formula shows the transfer of electrons between lithium and aluminum, resulting in the formation of an ionic bond between these elements.
