SO2 has two bonding pairs and one lone pair, resulting in a bent molecular geometry.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is the molecular geometry of SO2?
Solution: SO2 has two bonding pairs and one lone pair, resulting in a bent molecular geometry.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Identify the central atom in SO2, which is sulfur (S).
Step 2: Count the number of oxygen (O) atoms bonded to sulfur. There are two oxygen atoms.
Step 3: Determine the number of lone pairs on the sulfur atom. Sulfur has one lone pair.
Step 4: Count the total number of electron pairs around the sulfur atom. There are two bonding pairs (from the O atoms) and one lone pair, making a total of three electron pairs.
Step 5: Use the VSEPR theory to predict the shape. With two bonding pairs and one lone pair, the shape is bent.
