Which Lewis dot structure correctly represents the ionic compound KCl?

• A. K^{+} [Cl]^{-} with Cl surrounded by 7 dots
• B. K [Cl]^{-} with K surrounded by 8 dots and Cl by 8 dots
• C. K^{+} [Cl]^{-} with Cl surrounded by 8 dots
• D. K [Cl] with each atom surrounded by 7 dots

Answer: (C)

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 structure for ionic compounds, the metal (potassium) is represented as a cation (K^{+}) without any dots because it has lost its valence electron.
3. Step 3: The nonmetal (chlorine) gains the electron lost by potassium, so it becomes Cl^{-} and should be surrounded by 8 dots representing a full octet of valence electrons.
4. Step 4: The correct Lewis structure for KCl shows K^{+} without dots and Cl^{-} with 8 dots around it, indicating the complete octet and the ionic nature of the bond.
5. Step 5: Verify that the other options are incorrect because they either show potassium with dots (which it should not have as a cation) or chlorine with 7 dots (which does not represent a full octet for the anion).