Question

Explain what is wrong with the following statement. The mass number is the number of dots in the Lewis dot structure for any element

Answer 1

Solution:- For the lewis dot structure we use the valence electrons of all the atoms and these electrons are shown by the dots. Then we draw the simple structure by connecting the dots and if there are dot's still remaining then these stands for non bonding electrons(lone pairs). There is no involvement of mass number in the lewis dot structure so the given statement is wrong.

Example:- In lewis structure of water(H₂O), O atom(6 valence electrons) is the central atom and two H atoms(one avelnce electron for each H atom) are bonded to it via single bonds and there are still two lone pairs(four dots) present on O atom.