Number of Lone Pairs and Bonding Pairs for NH4 +

To determine the number of lone pairs (unbonded pairs) and bonding pairs of electrons for NH4 + we first need to draw as valid Lewis Structure. Once we have a Lewis Structure for NH4+ then we can identify the lone and bonding pairs.

Bonding pairs of electrons are the electrons between the atoms. These form the chemical bond and are shared between atoms. Often a pair of bonding electrons is represented by a line. Each line represents a pair of bonding electrons.

Lone pairs (unbonded pairs) of electrons are the remaining electrons around the atom. These are not between atoms and are not shared. The are important because they do occupy space and influence the shape of the molecule.

There are no lone pairs of electrons on the N atom for NH4+- (Nitrate ion) or on the H atoms.

We often need to know the the number of lone pairs of electrons in a molecule like NH4+ (as well as electrons involved in bonds) to determine the molecular geometry, calculate formal charges, and understand polarity and chemical reactivity.

---Learning Resources---

[Airanoor__]

But in our book if we wanna find the electron pair we add the number of valence electrons of central atom and then add the electrons contributed to bonding by surrounding atoms and add the charge if theres any and then divide by 2 but over here if i do that like 4+5+1 but this gives me 10 and if i divide it by 2 it gives me 5 but the electron pairs are 4

[arunaprashanth]

Can you please do it for carbon tetrachloride?