How can a Lewis structure be drawn for water?

To draw the Lewis structure for a water molecule ($H_{2}O$), follow these steps based on the Lewis formulation of a covalent bond:

1. Count Valence Electrons: Determine the total number of valence electrons available for bonding. Oxygen has 6 valence electrons, and each of the two hydrogen atoms has 1, for a total of 8 electrons.
2. Arrange Atoms: Place the oxygen atom in the center with the two hydrogen atoms as neighbors.
3. Add Bonding Pairs: Place one bonding pair (represented by a line) between the oxygen atom and each hydrogen atom. This accounts for 4 of the 8 electrons.
4. Add Remaining Electrons: Distribute the remaining 4 electrons as two lone pairs on the oxygen atom so that it achieves a share in an octet of electrons.

The final structure shows the oxygen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms with two lone pairs remaining on the oxygen. While Lewis structures represent the topological pattern of bonds, they do not necessarily depict the actual molecular shape, which is angular due to electron pair repulsions.12