Which of the following best describes the Lewis dot structure for the Be^{2+} ion?

• A. Two dots placed around the Be symbol.
• B. Four dots placed around the Be symbol.
• C. No dots; Be^{2+} has lost both of its valence electrons.
• D. Eight dots placed around the Be symbol.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that Lewis dot structures represent the valence electrons of an atom or ion as dots around the chemical symbol.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for a neutral beryllium (Be) atom. Beryllium is in group 2 of the periodic table, so it has 2 valence electrons.
3. Consider the charge on the ion: Be^{2+} means the beryllium atom has lost 2 electrons, which are its valence electrons.
4. Since Be^{2+} has lost both of its valence electrons, it has no valence electrons left to represent as dots in the Lewis structure.
5. Therefore, the Lewis dot structure for Be^{2+} will have no dots around the Be symbol, indicating the absence of valence electrons.