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ScienceQuest

Chlorine (Cl₂) Lewis structure

14 valence electrons, linear

Cl Cl
Cl₂ as the Lewis Structure Generator draws it: lone pairs as dots.

Build Cl₂ step by step in the Lewis Structure Generator

What is the Lewis structure of Cl₂?

Chlorine, Cl₂, has 14 valence electrons. Its two atoms are joined by one Cl−Cl single bond. It carries three lone pairs on each Cl. Every formal charge is zero. As two atoms it is linear, and the molecule is nonpolar.

Valence electrons in Cl₂

Element Group Valence electrons Atoms Electrons
Chlorine 17 7 2 14
Total 14

In one line: 2 × 7 = 14. Each atom brings the valence electrons its group gives it.

How to draw the Cl₂ Lewis structure

  1. Count the valence electrons. Valence electrons: each Cl 7. 2 × 7 = 14.
  2. Join the two atoms. With only two atoms there is no choice to make: they bond to each other.
  3. Join the atoms with single bonds. One single bond uses 2 electrons, leaving 14 − 2 = 12.
  4. Place the lone pairs. Neither atom is an outer one, so the 12 left go on the two atoms as three lone pairs on each Cl. Now each Cl has 8 electrons round it.
  5. Make multiple bonds where needed. Each Cl already has an octet, so no lone pair needs to become a bond.

Lone pairs and formal charges in Cl₂

Atom Number Bonds Lone pairs Electrons round it Formal charge, V − N − B/2
Cl 2 one single bond 3 8 7 − 6 − 1 = 0

V is the atom’s valence electrons, N its nonbonding electrons and B its bonding electrons. The formal charges add up to 0, the molecule’s overall charge.

Shape and polarity of Cl₂

Central atom none, two atoms
Electron geometry linear
Molecular geometry linear
Ideal bond angle none, two atoms
Polarity, an estimate nonpolar

Two identical atoms share the electrons equally.

Work with Cl₂