Which statement correctly explains how magnesium and chlorine combine to form magnesium chloride?

Question

Responses

A A Cl atom donates two electrons to a Mg atomA Cl atom donates two electrons to a Mg atom

B An Mg atom donates two electrons to a Cl atom.An Mg atom donates two electrons to a Cl atom.

C A Cl atom donates one electron to each of the two Mg atoms.A Cl atom donates one electron to each of the two Mg atoms.

D An Mg atom donates one electron to each of the two Cl atoms.An Mg atom donates one electron to each of the two Cl atoms.

Answer 1

The correct statement is:

B An Mg atom donates two electrons to a Cl atom.

Magnesium (Mg) has two electrons in its outer shell and tends to lose those two electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration, forming a Mg²⁺ ion. Chlorine (Cl) needs one electron to fill its outer shell and thus typically gains one electron to become a Cl⁻ ion. In the case of magnesium chloride (MgCl₂), one magnesium atom donates two electrons, one for each of the two chlorine atoms, leading to the formation of two Cl⁻ ions. Therefore, while B is partially correct regarding the donation of electrons, the overall accurate description of the compound's formation is that one Mg atom donates two electrons, resulting in the combination with two Cl atoms.