In a Lewis dot diagram, what do the dots around an element's symbol represent?

• A. Total number of electrons
• B. Valence electrons
• C. Protons in the nucleus
• D. Neutrons in the atom

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that a Lewis dot diagram is a way to represent the valence electrons of an atom, which are the electrons in the outermost shell.
2. Recall that valence electrons are important because they determine how an element reacts chemically and forms bonds with other atoms.
3. Recognize that in a Lewis dot diagram, the dots placed around the element's symbol specifically represent these valence electrons, not all electrons in the atom.
4. Note that protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus and are not represented by dots in the Lewis structure.
5. Therefore, the dots around an element's symbol in a Lewis dot diagram represent the valence electrons available for bonding.