(a) Use Lewis symbols to represent the reaction that occurs between Li and O atoms. (b) What is the chemical formula of the most likely product? (c) How many electrons are transferred? (d) Which atom loses electrons in the reaction?

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Identify the valence electrons for each element. Lithium (Li) has 1 valence electron, and oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons.

Step 2: Use Lewis symbols to represent the atoms. Li is represented as 'Li•' and O as '•O•••••'.

Step 3: Determine the electron transfer. Li will lose its 1 valence electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, and O will gain 2 electrons to complete its octet.

Step 4: Balance the electron transfer. Since O needs 2 electrons, two Li atoms will each donate 1 electron to one O atom, forming Li₂O.

Step 5: Identify the atom that loses electrons. Lithium (Li) loses electrons, and oxygen (O) gains electrons in the reaction.

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Lewis Symbols

Lewis symbols are a way to represent the valence electrons of an atom using dots around the element's symbol. Each dot corresponds to a valence electron, and these symbols help visualize how atoms interact during chemical reactions, particularly in bond formation and electron transfer.

Ionic Bonding

Ionic bonding occurs when one atom transfers electrons to another, resulting in the formation of charged ions. In the case of lithium (Li) and oxygen (O), lithium loses an electron to become a cation, while oxygen gains electrons to become an anion, leading to the formation of an ionic compound.

Electron Transfer

Electron transfer is the process by which electrons move from one atom to another during a chemical reaction. In the reaction between lithium and oxygen, lithium donates one electron, while oxygen accepts two electrons, illustrating the concept of oxidation (loss of electrons) and reduction (gain of electrons).

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