Multiple Choice
In the Lewis dot structure of the chlorate anion (ClO3-), how is the central chlorine atom surrounded?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Structures: Ions
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Which of the following Lewis dot structures correctly represents lithium chloride (LiCl)?
A
Li Cl^- (with Cl surrounded by 6 dots)
B
Li Cl (each with one dot)
C
Li^+ Cl (with Cl surrounded by 7 dots)
D
Li^+ Cl^- (with Cl surrounded by 8 dots)
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Identify the type of bond in lithium chloride (LiCl). Lithium chloride is an ionic compound formed between a metal (Li) and a nonmetal (Cl), so the bond involves transfer of electrons rather than sharing.
Step 2: Determine the electron configuration changes. Lithium (Li) tends to lose one electron to achieve a stable electron configuration, becoming Li⁺, while chlorine (Cl) gains one electron to complete its octet, becoming Cl⁻.
Step 3: Draw the Lewis dot structure for Li⁺. Since lithium loses its one valence electron, it will have no dots around it and carry a positive charge, represented as Li⁺.
Step 4: Draw the Lewis dot structure for Cl⁻. Chlorine gains one electron, so it will have eight dots (representing a full octet) around it and carry a negative charge, represented as Cl⁻.
Step 5: Combine the ions to represent the ionic compound. The correct Lewis structure shows Li⁺ without dots and Cl⁻ with eight dots around it, indicating the transfer of one electron from lithium to chlorine.
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