AQA GCSE Chemistry · 8462
Specification 4.2.1.2, 4.2.1.4 · Paper 1
A diagram that uses different symbols, usually dots and crosses, to distinguish electrons originally belonging to different atoms.
Revise: Ionic Bonding MechanismA dot and cross diagram keeps track of the origins of the outer-shell electrons. A dot and a cross do not represent different kinds of electron: all electrons are identical. The different symbols simply show which atom supplied each electron.
- Revise: Covalent Bonding Mechanism
A diagram that uses dots and crosses to distinguish the outer-shell electrons contributed by different atoms, including electrons shared in bonds.