Determine the hybridization of the central atom in PCl5.

Determine the hybridization of the central atom in PCl5.

Step 1: Identify the central atom in PCl5, which is phosphorus (P).
Step 2: Count the number of bonds phosphorus forms in PCl5. It forms five bonds with five chlorine (Cl) atoms.
Step 3: Determine the steric number, which is the number of bonds plus lone pairs on the central atom. Here, phosphorus has 5 bonds and 0 lone pairs, so the steric number is 5.
Step 4: Use the steric number to find the hybridization. A steric number of 5 corresponds to dsp3 hybridization.
Step 5: Conclude that the hybridization of phosphorus in PCl5 is dsp3, which allows it to form five bonds.

Hybridization – The concept of hybridization involves the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals suitable for the pairing of electrons to form chemical bonds.
Molecular Geometry – Understanding the molecular geometry helps in determining the hybridization state of the central atom based on the number of bonds and lone pairs.
Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory – VSEPR theory is used to predict the geometry of individual molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs in the valence shell.