Which of the following Lewis dot diagrams correctly represents the ionic compound KCl?

• A. [K]^+ [Cl]^− with Cl surrounded by 8 dots
• B. K with 1 dot Cl with 7 dots
• C. K with no dots Cl with no dots
• D. [K]^+ [Cl]^− with Cl surrounded by 7 dots

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that KCl is an ionic compound formed between potassium (K) and chlorine (Cl). Potassium tends to lose one electron to become K⁺, and chlorine tends to gain one electron to become Cl⁻.
2. Step 2: Recognize that in the Lewis dot diagram for ionic compounds, the metal (K) is represented as a cation with no dots because it has lost its valence electron, and the nonmetal (Cl) is represented as an anion with a full octet (8 dots) around it, indicating it has gained an electron.
3. Step 3: Write the Lewis dot structure for K as [K]^+ with no dots, showing it has lost its one valence electron.
4. Step 4: Write the Lewis dot structure for Cl as [Cl]^− with 8 dots around it, representing the full octet after gaining one electron from K.
5. Step 5: Confirm that the correct Lewis dot diagram for KCl is [K]^+ [Cl]^− with Cl surrounded by 8 dots, indicating the ionic bond formed by electron transfer.