How should covalent bonds be regarded in terms of electron pairs?
Covalent bonds should not be regarded as shared electron pairs in a fixed position; the electrons are in a state of constant motion and are best regarded as charge clouds.
What does it mean if a central atom can accommodate more or less than 8 electrons?
Accommodating more than 8 electrons in the outer shell is known as ‘expanding the octet rule’, while accommodating less than 8 electrons means the central atom is ‘electron deficient’.
Steps for drawing Lewis formulas include counting total valence electrons, drawing the skeletal structure, placing electron pairs in bonds, adding more pairs to complete octets, forming double/triple bonds if necessary, and checking total electrons.
How does bond length relate to the forces of attraction?
The greater the forces of attraction between electrons and nuclei, the more the atoms are pulled closer to each other, decreasing bond length and increasing bond strength.