This is the C3H8 Lewis structure: Propane.
We have 4 valence electrons for Carbon--we
have 3 Carbons.
We have 1 valence electron for Hydrogen--8
Hydrogens.
Add them up, we get a total of 20 valence
electrons for the C3H8 Lewis structure.
We'll put the 3 Carbons in a row and the Hydrogens
will go around them.
The Carbons on the end will have 3 Hydrogens.
The Carbons in the center will have 2.
So each Carbon is bonded to four different
things.
Next we'll put a line between atoms to have
a chemical bond--that represents 2 valence
electrons--until we use all the valence electrons
up.
So we've used all 20 valence electrons for
the C3H8 Lewis structure.
Each Hydrogen has a single bond--that's two
valence electrons--so its outer shell is full.
And for the Carbons, each Carbon has four
single bonds, so that's 8 valence electrons,
and that's an octet for the Carbon.
So we've satisfied the octets on each of the
Carbon atoms.
So that's the Lewis structure for C3H8: Propane.
This is Dr. B., and thanks for watching.
