Final answer:
The electron dot diagram for Cl₂ shows each chlorine atom with seven dots representing its valence electrons, with one pair shared between them to form a single covalent bond. The structural formula for Cl₂ is Cl-Cl, where the dash represents the bond.
Step-by-step explanation:
To draw the electron dot and structural formulas for chlorine gas (Cl₂), we start by considering the electron configuration of a chlorine atom. Each chlorine atom has seven valence electrons, which will be represented as dots in the Lewis electron dot diagram.
The Lewis electron dot diagram for Cl₂ is:
Cl • • •
• Cl •
• • •
Here, the two chlorine atoms share a pair of electrons to form a single covalent bond between them. This shared pair of electrons is represented by the two dots (or a dash) between the chlorine atoms.
The structural formula of Cl₂ is simply represented as:
Cl-Cl
The dash between the two chlorine (Cl) atoms represents the single covalent bond that holds the molecule together. This bond satisfies the octet rule for both chlorine atoms, giving them an inert gas electron configuration.