Question

In a molecule of methane, carbon (having four valence electrons) binds to four hydrogen atoms. How many lone pairs of electrons will be represented in the Lewis structure of methane?

Answer 1

Carbon atom has 4 valence electrons and each hydrogen atom has 1 valence electron. The hydrogen atoms require 1 electron to complete their duplet while carbon require 4 electrons to complete its octet. Therefore the carbon atom will share one of its 4 electrons with each hydrogen atom. As u will see , sharing 4 of its valence electrons with 4 hydrogen atoms leaves 0 lone pairs of electrons in lewis structure of methane.