Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct Lewis dot symbol for a neutral atom of Mg?
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11. Bonding & Molecular Structure
Lewis Dot Symbols
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Which of the following is NOT a valid Lewis dot symbol for the element shown?
A
Na with one dot placed to the right of the symbol
B
C with eight dots arranged as four pairs around the symbol
C
F with seven dots arranged as three pairs and one single dot around the symbol
D
O with six dots arranged as three pairs around the symbol
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that a Lewis dot symbol represents the valence electrons of an element as dots placed around the element's chemical symbol. Each dot corresponds to one valence electron.
Determine the number of valence electrons for each element: Sodium (Na) has 1 valence electron, Carbon (C) has 4 valence electrons, Fluorine (F) has 7 valence electrons, and Oxygen (O) has 6 valence electrons.
Understand the rules for placing dots: dots are placed singly on each of the four sides (top, right, bottom, left) before pairing up. This means no element should have more than 8 dots, and the dots should be arranged to reflect the correct number of valence electrons.
Analyze each given Lewis dot symbol: check if the number of dots matches the valence electrons and if the arrangement follows the rule of placing single dots first before pairing.
Identify the invalid symbol: the one with eight dots arranged as four pairs around Carbon (C) is incorrect because Carbon only has 4 valence electrons, so it cannot have eight dots.
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