Which is the correct Lewis structure for hydrogen peroxide?

The correct Lewis structure for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is as follows:

1. Count the total valence electrons:
   • Hydrogen (H) has 1 valence electron, so for 2 hydrogen atoms: 2×1= 2 valence electrons.
   • Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons, so for 2 oxygen atoms: 2×6= 12 valence electrons.
   • Total valence electrons = 2+12 = 14.
2. Sketch the molecule:
   • The oxygen atoms are connected by a single bond (O-O).
   • Each hydrogen atom is bonded to one oxygen atom.
3. Place electrons around the atoms:
   • Begin by placing a single bond (2 electrons) between the two oxygen atoms.
   • Place single bonds (2 electrons) between each oxygen atom and its respective hydrogen atom.
4. Complete the octets:
   • Oxygen atoms need 8 electrons to fulfill their octet rule.
   • After placing the bonding electrons (2 for each O-H bond and 2 for the O-O bond), there are remaining electrons that should be placed as lone pairs on the oxygen atoms.

The Lewis structure of H₂O₂ looks like this:

 H-O-O-H

Where:

• Each “O” is connected to an “H” with a single bond (2 electrons).
• The “O-O” bond is a single bond (2 electrons).
• Each oxygen atom has two lone pairs of electrons to complete its octet.

The total number of electrons used in the structure is 14, which matches the total available electrons. This structure satisfies the valence requirements for each atom.