Answer:
Group number, octet's rule, total number of bonds and fewest valence electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hello,
For the given statement is answer is bolded:
"When drawing the Lewis structure of a molecule, start by determining the total number of available valence based on each element's group number. Then, use the total number of electrons needed for each element to be stable, generally based on the octet's rule its charge, to determine the total number of bonds by finding the difference between the number of needed and available electrons divided by two.
Next, identify the central atom, which is the element with the fewest valence electrons other than hydrogen. Finally, arrange the number of bonds around the central atom to fulfill the stable number of electrons for each element".
For the first one, it is widely known that the group number provides the number of valence electrons as nitrogen is in group VA and it has five valence electrons, chlorine is in grou´p VIIA and it has seven valence electrons and so on.
For the second one, it is also known that the octet's rule limit the amount of bonds as it has been demonstrated that each compound can hold up to 8 electrons overall excluding some exceptions.
For the third one, based on the octet's rule, an element must have as much bonds as missing electrons to complete eight, for instance, carbon has four valence electrons, so it need four bonds (each one providing one valence electron) in order to attain the octet.
Finally, the central atom must have the fewest number of valence electrons as it shows the other bonds and elements attaining the octet. Usually, the central atom is not demanded to get 8 electrons, for instance in AlCl₃, which is:
Has aluminum as the central one due to the fact that it has three valence electrons whereas chlorine seven and it does not attain the octet.
Best regards.