Which of the following compounds exhibits sp3d hybridization?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following compounds exhibits sp3d hybridization?
SF4
XeF2
NH3
C2H4
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following compounds exhibits sp3d hybridization?
Step 1: Understand what sp3d hybridization means. It involves one s orbital, three p orbitals, and one d orbital mixing together.
Step 2: Identify the central atom in the compound you are examining. In SF4, the central atom is sulfur (S).
Step 3: Count the number of valence electrons for the central atom. Sulfur has 6 valence electrons.
Step 4: Determine how many bonds and lone pairs are around the central atom. In SF4, sulfur forms 4 bonds with fluorine and has 1 lone pair.
Step 5: Calculate the total number of electron pairs (bonding + lone pairs). In SF4, there are 4 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair, totaling 5 electron pairs.
Step 6: Recognize that 5 electron pairs require sp3d hybridization to accommodate them.
Step 7: Conclude that since sulfur in SF4 has 5 electron pairs, it is sp3d hybridized, leading to a seesaw molecular geometry.