In which of the following compounds does the central atom have an incomplete oct

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Question: In which of the following compounds does the central atom have an incomplete octet?

Options:

Correct Answer: BF3

Solution:

Boron trifluoride (BF3) has an incomplete octet as boron only has six electrons in its valence shell.

In which of the following compounds does the central atom have an incomplete octet?

In which of the following compounds does the central atom have an incomplete octet?

Step 1: Understand what an octet is. An octet means having eight electrons in the outer shell of an atom.
Step 2: Identify the central atom in the compound. In boron trifluoride (BF3), the central atom is boron (B).
Step 3: Count the valence electrons of the central atom. Boron has 3 valence electrons.
Step 4: Determine how many electrons boron shares with fluorine atoms. In BF3, boron forms bonds with three fluorine atoms, sharing one electron with each.
Step 5: Calculate the total number of electrons around boron. Boron shares 3 electrons (one from each bond) but does not gain any additional electrons.
Step 6: Conclude that boron has only 6 electrons in its valence shell (3 from bonds), which is less than 8, indicating an incomplete octet.

Incomplete Octet – An incomplete octet occurs when a central atom has fewer than eight electrons in its valence shell, which is common in certain compounds like BF3.
Valence Electrons – Understanding the number of valence electrons for different elements is crucial for determining if an atom can achieve a full octet.
Molecular Geometry – The geometry of molecules can be influenced by the presence of incomplete octets, affecting bond angles and overall shape.