A Lewis dot structure is a diagram that represents the valence electrons of an atom. It uses dots to show the number of electrons in the outer shell, which are important for chemical bonding. Each dot corresponds to one valence electron, and they are placed around the chemical symbol of the element. In a Lewis dot structure, bonds between atoms are represented by lines or pairs of dots. This visual representation helps in understanding how atoms interact and form molecules. It is a useful tool in chemistry for predicting the structure and reactivity of compounds.