1. Determine the total number of valence electrons:
* Hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron each, and there are 2 hydrogen atoms: 1 x 2 = 2 electrons
* Sulfur (S) has 6 valence electrons.
Total valence electrons = 2 + 6 = 8 electrons
2. Determine the central atom:
* Sulfur is the central atom because it is less electronegative than hydrogen.
3. Connect the atoms with single bonds:
* Place the sulfur atom in the center and connect each hydrogen atom to it with a single bond (a line). This uses up 2 of the 8 valence electrons.
4. Distribute the remaining electrons around the atoms:
* Sulfur needs 6 electrons to complete its octet (8 electrons).
* Add 4 lone pairs (2 pairs) of electrons around the sulfur atom.
5. Check the octets:
* Hydrogen only needs 2 electrons to complete its duet (2 electrons). Each hydrogen atom has 1 bond, which fulfills this requirement.
* Sulfur has 2 bonds (4 electrons) and 4 lone pairs (8 electrons), completing its octet.
The Lewis structure of H₂S:
```
H
|
S
|
H
```
Where the lines represent single bonds and the dots represent lone pairs of electrons.
