Dot-and-Cross Diagrams Flashcards

1️⃣ Familiarise yourself with the flashcards:

  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

  • Look at the question or prompt on each card and try to remember the answer before flipping it over.
  • Check the answer and make a note of any cards you find challenging and need to go over more.

3️⃣ Consistently Review and Practice:

  • Use spaced repetition: spend more time on the cards you struggle with and go over them more often.
  • Regularly review all the flashcards to help you better understand and retain the information over time.

Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What is a dot-and-cross diagram used for in chemistry?

It is a drawing that shows how atoms bond by using dots and crosses to represent electrons.

In a dot-and-cross diagram, what do the dots and crosses stand for?

Each dot or cross shows one electron in the outer shell of an atom.

Why do we use dots for one atom and crosses for another atom in a dot-and-cross diagram?

We use different symbols to show which electrons came from which atom.

Why do dot-and-cross diagrams usually show only the outer shell electrons?

They show only outer shell electrons because these electrons are involved in bonding and the inner shells do not change.

How is an ionic bond shown in a dot-and-cross diagram?

Electrons are shown moving from the metal atom to the non-metal atom, so the metal loses electrons and the non-metal gains them.

In a dot-and-cross diagram for an ionic compound, why are ions drawn in square brackets with a charge?

The square brackets show that the atom has become an ion, and the small + or − sign shows its overall charge after losing or gaining electrons.

How is a covalent bond shown in a dot-and-cross diagram?

A covalent bond is shown as a shared pair of electrons, with a dot from one atom and a cross from the other between the atoms.

Describe the dot-and-cross diagram for a molecule of hydrogen, H₂.

Each hydrogen atom has one electron, and in the diagram they share their two electrons as a pair between them so both have a full first shell.

Describe the dot-and-cross diagram for a molecule of water, H₂O.

The oxygen atom has six electrons in its outer shell and each hydrogen has one. Oxygen shares one electron with each hydrogen, so there are two shared pairs between O and H and oxygen ends up with eight outer electrons.

How can you tell from a dot-and-cross diagram that atoms have become more stable after bonding?

You can see that each atom now has a full outer shell of electrons, like a noble gas, when you count the dots and crosses around it.

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