Which of the following is the correct Lewis dot diagram for magnesium (Mg)?

• A. Mg with one dot above the symbol
• B. Mg with eight dots surrounding the symbol
• C. Mg with six dots surrounding the symbol
• D. Mg with two dots on the right side

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that Lewis dot diagrams represent the valence electrons of an element as dots around the chemical symbol.
2. Determine the group number of magnesium (Mg) in the periodic table. Magnesium is in Group 2, which means it has 2 valence electrons.
3. Since magnesium has 2 valence electrons, the Lewis dot diagram should show exactly 2 dots around the symbol Mg.
4. Dots are usually placed one at a time on each side (top, right, bottom, left) before pairing, so the two dots can be placed on one side or on two different sides, but the key is the total number of dots must be 2.
5. Compare the options given: Mg with one dot, Mg with six dots, Mg with eight dots, and Mg with two dots. The correct Lewis dot diagram for Mg must have exactly two dots, which matches the option with two dots on the right side.