Without referring to Figure \(9.1,\) write Lewis dot symbols for atoms of the following elements: (a) \(\mathrm{Be},(\mathrm{b}) \mathrm{K},(\mathrm{c}) \mathrm{Ca},(\mathrm{d}) \mathrm{Ga},(\mathrm{e}) \mathrm{O},(\mathrm{f}) \mathrm{Br},(\mathrm{g}) \mathrm{N},(\mathrm{h})\) I, (i) As, (j) F.

Understanding valence electrons plays a critical role in the study of chemistry as they are the electrons that determine an atom's ability to bond with others. Simply put, valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and they participate in chemical reactions. An atom can have anywhere from one to eight valence electrons.

When using the periodic table to determine the number of valence electrons in an atom, a helpful tip is to look at the group numbers. Groups in the periodic table are the columns that run vertically. Elements within the same group share the same number of valence electrons. For instance, all elements in group 1 have one valence electron, while those in group 2 have two valence electrons, and so on up to group 18, which contains noble gases with eight valence electrons (except for Helium, which has two).

Knowing the number of valence electrons is the first step to drawing Lewis dot symbols, a simple representation used to show the bonding capabilities of an atom, which brings us closer to understanding how atoms interact in compounds.

The periodic table is a map of chemical elements, neatly organized into rows and columns based on increasing atomic number and similar chemical properties. The columns are referred to as groups, and there are 18 of them.

The elements within a group share common characteristics, most importantly the same number of valence electrons, as mentioned earlier. Thus, understanding periodic table groups is crucial for predicting how an atom might behave in a chemical reaction.

For example, the elements in group 17, known as the halogens, are one electron short of a complete outer shell, making them highly reactive. On the other hand, noble gases in group 18 have a full set of valence electrons, which makes them generally unreactive. Recognizing these trends in the periodic table groups helps chemists anticipate and explain the bonding patterns of different elements.

When it comes to depicting chemical elements, chemists have developed a variety of symbols and diagrams that encapsulate information about an element's properties. Arguably the simplest and most informative of these is the Lewis dot symbol.

Each element is represented by its chemical symbol surrounded by dots that indicate the number of valence electrons. These dots are positioned to show how electrons are likely to be distributed around the atom when it forms bonds. In Lewis dot structures, a single dot is placed around the symbol before pairing up -- this corresponds to how electrons fill orbitals: one electron enters each orbital before pairing begins.

For example, oxygen, which is in group 16, has six valence electrons. Its Lewis dot symbol would show the letter 'O' for oxygen with six dots arranged around it. The configuration of the dots can have implications for the element's bonding behavior, as elements tend to adopt configurations that provide them with a full outer shell of electrons, leading to increased stability.