The Lewis dot symbol for the chloride (Cl-) ion is: O:am Cl:m Cl: a
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Lewis Dot Symbol for the Chloride Ion (Cl⁻):
The correct Lewis dot symbol for the chloride ion (Cl⁻) is:
..
: Cl :
..
[ Cl⁻ ]
This shows a chlorine atom with a full octet (8 valence electrons) and a negative charge enclosed in brackets.
Explanation
The Lewis dot symbol is a simple way to represent the valence electrons of an atom or ion. Each dot around the element’s symbol represents one valence electron.
Chlorine (Cl) is a group 17 element (halogen) on the periodic table. As a neutral atom, it has 7 valence electrons (since group 17 elements have 7 electrons in their outer shell). In its neutral state, the Lewis symbol for chlorine is:
: Cl .
(7 dots arranged around the symbol).
However, chlorine readily gains one electron to form the chloride ion (Cl⁻) to achieve a stable octet (8 electrons in the outer shell), like the nearest noble gas, argon (Ar).
When Cl gains an electron, it becomes Cl⁻, a negatively charged ion (anion). Now, instead of 7, it has 8 valence electrons. In the Lewis dot symbol, this is shown by surrounding the symbol with 8 dots and placing the ion inside square brackets with a superscript minus sign:
..
: Cl :
..
[ Cl⁻ ]
This format emphasizes two important features:
- The full octet (8 dots around Cl) showing chemical stability.
- The negative charge ([Cl⁻]) resulting from the gained electron.
This representation is especially important in ionic bonding, such as in sodium chloride (NaCl), where a Na⁺ ion (which loses one electron) and a Cl⁻ ion (which gains one) form an electrostatic attraction.
In summary, the correct Lewis dot structure of the chloride ion shows a Cl atom with eight electrons and a negative charge, enclosed in brackets to indicate it is an ion.
