1. Determine the Valence Electrons
* Potassium (K): Group 1, so it has 1 valence electron.
* Bromine (Br): Group 17, so it has 7 valence electrons.
2. Represent the Atoms
* Use the element symbol (K and Br) to represent the atoms.
* Place dots around the symbol to represent the valence electrons. Remember to follow Hund's rule (each orbital gets one electron before pairing).
3. Show the Transfer of Electrons
* Potassium (K) will lose its one valence electron to become a positively charged ion (K+).
* Bromine (Br) will gain one electron to become a negatively charged ion (Br-).
4. Draw the Final Structure
* Show the ions side-by-side, with the electron transfer indicated by an arrow.
Here's the final diagram:
```
.
K . → Br:
.
. . .
```
Explanation:
* The arrow shows the electron moving from the potassium atom to the bromine atom.
* The resulting ions (K+ and Br-) now have a complete outer shell, making them more stable.
* The electrostatic attraction between the oppositely charged ions forms the ionic bond.
