An electron configuration notation that shows only the valence electrons is called

• A. Molecular Formula
• B. Electron-Dot Notation
• C. Bond Energy
• D. Chemical Formula

Answer: (B)

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons that determine how atoms bond, so the best way to visualize them is to depict only those electrons around the element symbol. Electron-dot notation, also called Lewis dot notation, does exactly this: it shows the valence electrons as dots placed around the element symbol, highlighting how many electrons are available for bonding and how atoms might share or transfer electrons. For example, oxygen has six valence electrons, so you’d place six dots around the O symbol, illustrating its tendency to gain two electrons to achieve an octet. Sodium has one valence electron, so there is just one dot around Na, reflecting its tendency to lose that electron. Other common notations—like molecular formulas or chemical formulas—display the types and numbers of atoms in a compound, or the strength of bonds, but they don’t convey the arrangement of valence electrons and thus aren’t specific to showing the electrons that participate in bonding.