Which of the following correctly describes the Lewis dot structure for the ion Ni^{3+}?

• A. Ni^{3+} has no valence electrons shown in its Lewis dot structure.
• B. Ni^{3+} has eight dots around the symbol representing a filled valence shell.
• C. Ni^{3+} has three dots around the symbol representing its three valence electrons.
• D. Ni^{3+} has five dots around the symbol representing its five valence electrons.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the element and its atomic number. Nickel (Ni) has an atomic number of 28, meaning it has 28 electrons in its neutral state.
2. Step 2: Determine the number of valence electrons in a neutral Ni atom. For transition metals like Ni, valence electrons are typically the electrons in the outermost s and d orbitals. Nickel's electron configuration is [Ar] 3d^8 4s^2, so it has 10 valence electrons (8 from 3d and 2 from 4s).
3. Step 3: Consider the charge on the ion Ni^{3+}. A 3+ charge means the atom has lost 3 electrons. These electrons are removed first from the 4s orbital and then from the 3d orbitals.
4. Step 4: Calculate the number of valence electrons remaining after losing 3 electrons. Starting from 10 valence electrons, subtract 3 to get 7 valence electrons.
5. Step 5: Understand how Lewis dot structures represent valence electrons. Each dot represents one valence electron. Since Ni^{3+} has 7 valence electrons, the Lewis dot structure would show 7 dots around the Ni symbol if it were drawn. However, for transition metal ions, Lewis dot structures are often not shown because their valence electrons are in d orbitals and do not follow the simple octet rule.