1. Determine the total number of valence electrons:
* Hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron each, and there are 2 hydrogen atoms.
* Sulfur (S) has 6 valence electrons.
* Total valence electrons = (2 x 1) + 6 = 8
2. Determine the central atom:
* Sulfur is less electronegative than hydrogen, so it will be the central atom.
3. Connect the atoms with single bonds:
* Draw two hydrogen atoms connected to the sulfur atom with single bonds. This uses up 2 of the 8 valence electrons.
4. Distribute the remaining electrons:
* Sulfur needs 6 electrons to complete its octet. Place 2 lone pairs (4 electrons) around the sulfur atom. This uses up all 8 valence electrons.
The Lewis dot structure for H₂S looks like this:
H
|
S
|
H
Key points:
* The sulfur atom has 2 lone pairs of electrons.
* Each hydrogen atom has 1 bond, fulfilling its duet rule.
* The sulfur atom has a total of 8 electrons (2 bonds + 4 lone pair electrons), fulfilling its octet rule.
