Question

Draw the lewis structure for the polyatomic hydronium (H₃O) cation.

Answer 1

To draw the Lewis structure for the hydronium (H₃O) cation, identify the central atom as hydrogen, add the extra electron for the single negative charge, and distribute electrons to form an octet. The structure is represented as [H₃O]+.

Step-by-step explanation:

To draw the Lewis structure for the hydronium (H₃O) cation, follow these steps:

1. Identify the central atom, which in this case is hydrogen (H).
2. Add the extra electron to the central atom to account for the single negative charge of the polyatomic ion.
3. Pair the electrons and draw the central atom bonded to two other hydrogen atoms.
4. Distribute the remaining six electrons around the oxygen (O) to form an octet.
5. Enclose the entire polyatomic ion in brackets with the charge, +1, as a superscript outside the brackets.

The Lewis structure for the hydronium cation is represented as [H₃O]+.