Question

A student made the Lewis dot diagram of a compound as shown. Mg is written with two dots shown on its top. Cl is written on the right side of Mg. Cl has seven dots around it. An arrow is shown from one dot on Mg toward the vacant space around Cl. Another arrow is shown from the other dot on Mg toward the vacant space around Cl. On the top, the art title is written as Students Lewis Dot Model. What is the error in the Lewis dot diagram?

Answer 1

Answer:

The dots were not properly located and arrows are not used in Lewis structures

Explanation:

If we intend to write a Lewis structure for a compound, that lewis structure must consist of only dots. These dots actually show the valence electrons on the outermost shell of the molecule.

We do not involve arrows when writing dot electron structures for compounds. The valence electrons of magnesium ought not to be written together because they are not a lone pair, rather they are two unpaired electrons. The use of an arrow suggests a coordinate covalent bond which is not the case here.

The correct lewis structure for MgCl2 is shown in the image attached to this answer.