Find the mistake: dot-and-cross diagram of sodium chloride (NaCl)

An example figure from the Dot-and-Cross Diagram generator.

A deliberately wrong dot-and-cross diagram of sodium chloride: a sodium ion with 8 crosses and a chloride ion with only 7 dots, its gained electron missing, each in square brackets with its charge
A deliberately wrong dot-and-cross diagram of sodium chloride, NaCl, for a “find the mistake” question. The chloride ion is drawn with only its own 7 electrons as dots, so the electron it gained from sodium is missing: Cl⁻ should have 8 electrons on its outer shell, 7 dots and 1 cross, to match its 1− charge.

Editing opens it in Dot-and-Cross Diagram with these settings, to change anything and copy or download your own.

Answer key

  • Na loses 1 electron to Cl.
  • Na⁺ 2,8; Cl⁻ 2,8,8
  • This figure was edited by hand, so it may differ from the correct diagram described here.

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