Question

When potassium salt (KCI) forms, which action occurs between the reacting elements?

O Chlorine donates an electron to potassium.
O Chlorine exchanges an electron with potassium.
O Potassium donates an electron to chlorine.
O Potassium shares an electron with chlorine.

Answer 1

Potassium donates its valence electron to chlorine, resulting in a potassium cation (K+) and a chloride anion (Cl-), which form an ionic bond to create KCl.

Step-by-step explanation:

When potassium salt (KCl) forms, the action that occurs between the reacting elements is that potassium donates an electron to chlorine. Potassium (K), with an atomic number of 19, has just one electron in its valence shell. As it is energetically favorable for potassium to lose this single electron rather than acquire seven more to complete its outer shell, it readily does so. The loss of an electron by potassium leads to the formation of a potassium cation (K+), which carries a positive charge due to the excess of protons over electrons. On the other hand, chlorine (Cl) gains this electron, leading to the formation of a chloride anion (Cl-) with a negative charge. These oppositely charged ions then attract each other to form ionic bonds, resulting in the ionic compound KCl.

Answer 2

In the formation of potassium chloride (KCl), potassium donates an electron to chlorine, resulting in the formation of a K+ cation and a Cl- anion which bond to form the ionic compound. Therefore correct option is C

Step-by-step explanation:

When potassium chloride (KCl) forms, the action that occurs between the reacting elements is that potassium donates an electron to chlorine. In the formation of this ionic compound, the potassium atom, which has just one electron in its valence shell, loses this electron.

The loss makes potassium a positively charged ion known as a cation (written as K+), which means it has a slightly positive charge due to having more protons than electrons.

Conversely, as chlorine accepts the electron from potassium, it becomes a negatively charged ion called an anion (written as Cl-). This transfer of an electron from potassium to chlorine results in the two oppositely charged ions, which attract each other and form the ionic bond in KCl.