Final answer:
Magnesium (Mg) can combine with the general formula MCl to form magnesium chloride (MgCl2) in a 1:2 ratio.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is b) Magnesium (Mg). Magnesium can combine with chlorine to form magnesium chloride (MgCl2) which is a compound with a 1:2 ratio of magnesium to chlorine.
Magnesium has a valence electron configuration of 2, while chlorine has a valence electron configuration of 7. This means that magnesium needs to lose 2 electrons to achieve a stable octet, and chlorine needs to gain 1 electron to achieve a stable octet. When magnesium loses 2 electrons, it forms a 2+ cation, and when chlorine gains 1 electron, it forms a 1- anion. The resulting compound, magnesium chloride, has a neutral charge.
The general formula MCl represents the combination of a metal cation (M+) and a halide anion (Cl-). In this case, magnesium (Mg) is the metal cation that combines with the chloride anion (Cl-) to form magnesium chloride (MgCl2).