Question

(03.02 LC) Lithium has a 1+ charge, and oxygen has a 2− charge. A Lewis dot diagram should contain one lithium atom and two oxygen atoms to show how these atoms form an ionic bond. True False

Answer 1

false,

the lewis dot structure of lithium oxide will not include only one lithium atom and two oxygen atom,

it will include 2 lithium atom and one oxygen atom so that an ionic compound is formed.

lithium contains +1 positive charge and oxygen contains -2 negative charge so as to make an ionic bond, two lithium should give its 2 electrons to 1 atom of oxygen.

2[Li]⁺ [O]⁻²

Answer 2

Answer: The statement is false.

Explanation:

Atomic number of lithium is 3 and its electronic distribution is 2, 1. Therefore, lithium has only one electron to donate.

Whereas atomic number of oxygen is 8 and its electronic configuration is 2, 6.

So, oxygen needs two more electrons to complete its octet. Thus, two lithium atoms will donate each valence electron to an oxygen atom.

Hence, there will be two lithium atoms and one oxygen atom in a molecule of lithium oxide $(Li_{2}O)$. Though there is sharing of electrons so the bond formed will be ionic bond.

Therefore, we can conclude that the statement a Lewis dot diagram should contain one lithium atom and two oxygen atoms to show how these atoms form an ionic bond is false.