Question

Lewis structure for 2O2

I'm okay with making lewis structures where there will be one 'thing' in the middle but in 2O2 I'm unsure because there are 2 oxygen's in the middle but is there an oxygen on either side or on top of the middle oxygen's? I'm unsure about the the difference between the 'big number' and the subscript number.

Answer 1

the big number describes the number ratio in a chemical equation

so for example,

2H2 + O2 --> 2H2O means

2 moles of hydrogen reacts with one mole of oxygen to form 2 moles of water

and as you know, the small (subscript) number determines the number of atoms of that element in one molecule of a compound

so I believe that drawing a normal lewis structure ( O=O ) should be correct

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

For what I understand in the question, the "big number" is called a stoichiometric coefficient and represents the ammount of molecules of the substance that follows it ( in this case O2) involved in a reaction.

In this case there is no reaction but it asks you for the lewis structure of two molecules of oxygen (O2).

The lewis structure of oxygen is: O=O

Two molecules of it can bond by london forces or dative unions forming what is known as a dimer (two molecules of the same substance bonded).