Final answer:
To illustrate the formation of magnesium chloride, magnesium loses two valence electrons to form a Mg2+ ion, and each chlorine atom gains one electron to form two Cl- ions. The electron dot diagram demonstrates this transfer of electrons, showing that each chlorine achieves an octet while magnesium achieves a configuration similar to that of neon.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electron Dot Diagram for Magnesium Chloride Formation
To show the formation of magnesium chloride (MgCl2) using an electron dot diagram, we need to consider the electron configurations of magnesium (Mg) and chlorine (Cl). Magnesium has two valence electrons and tends to lose them to form a magnesium ion (Mg2+). Each chlorine has seven valence electrons and needs one more to achieve an octet. Chlorine gains an electron to form a chloride ion (Cl-).
To form magnesium chloride, one magnesium atom transfers its two valence electrons to two chlorine atoms. This completes the octet of the chlorine atoms, resulting in two chloride ions, and the magnesium atom now has an empty valence shell, corresponding to that of the noble gas neon, forming a magnesium ion.
- Electron dot diagram for magnesium (Mg): [Ne] 3s2 → Mg2+
- Electron dot diagrams for chlorine (2 Cl): [Ne] 3s23p5 → 2 Cl-
The ionic bonding occurs due to the electrostatic attraction between the positively charged magnesium ion and the negatively charged chloride ions. The chemical formula for magnesium chloride is MgCl2.