What is the electron dot diagram for oxygen atom?

The electron dot diagram, also known as the Lewis dot structure, represents the valence electrons of an atom. For an oxygen atom, which has six valence electrons, the diagram is quite simple.

Oxygen Atom Overview

Oxygen is located in group 16 of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 8, meaning it has 8 electrons in total, with 6 of those in the outer shell.

Drawing the Electron Dot Diagram

To create the electron dot diagram for oxygen:

• Start by writing the symbol for oxygen, which is O.
• Place dots around the symbol to represent the valence electrons.
• Distribute the 6 electrons as follows:
• Two dots on the top of the symbol.
• Two dots on the sides (one on the left and one on the right).
• Two dots at the bottom.

Final Representation

The final electron dot diagram for an oxygen atom looks like this:

O: ••
• •

This arrangement shows that oxygen has two pairs of electrons and two unpaired electrons, which are important for forming bonds with other atoms.