Which of the following Lewis dot structures correctly represents the ion Cl^-?

• A. A chlorine atom surrounded by seven dots and no brackets or charge: Cl•••••••
• B. A chlorine atom surrounded by eight dots (representing electrons) and enclosed in brackets with a superscript minus sign: [Cl••••••••]^–
• C. A chlorine atom with no dots and no brackets or charge: Cl
• D. A chlorine atom surrounded by six dots and enclosed in brackets with a superscript plus sign: [Cl••••••]^+

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that a Lewis dot structure represents the valence electrons of an atom or ion as dots around the chemical symbol.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for a neutral chlorine atom, which is 7, since chlorine is in group 17 of the periodic table.
3. For the chloride ion (Cl⁻), recognize that it has gained one extra electron, increasing the total valence electrons to 8.
4. Draw the chlorine symbol (Cl) surrounded by 8 dots to represent these valence electrons, ensuring the dots are placed in pairs around the symbol.
5. Enclose the entire structure in brackets and add a superscript negative charge (⁻) outside the brackets to indicate the ion's charge.