Which of the following Lewis dot symbols correctly represents the element and its valence electrons?

• A. Na: •
• B. O: •••••
• C. C: ••••••
• D. Cl: ••

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that Lewis dot symbols represent the valence electrons of an element as dots placed around the element's chemical symbol.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for each element based on its group in the periodic table: Sodium (Na) has 1 valence electron, Oxygen (O) has 6, Carbon (C) has 4, and Chlorine (Cl) has 7.
3. Represent each valence electron as a single dot placed around the element's symbol, typically arranged to show up to four dots on each side before pairing.
4. Check each given Lewis dot symbol to see if the number of dots matches the element's valence electrons: Na should have 1 dot, O should have 6 dots, C should have 4 dots, and Cl should have 7 dots.
5. Identify which Lewis dot symbol correctly matches the element and its valence electrons by comparing the number of dots to the expected valence electron count.