What is the hybridization of the central atom in SF4?

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Q: What is the hybridization of the central atom in SF4?

Solution: The central sulfur atom in SF4 has 4 bonding pairs and 1 lone pair, leading to sp3d hybridization.

Steps: 5

Step 1: Identify the central atom in SF4, which is sulfur (S).
Step 2: Count the number of bonds sulfur forms with fluorine (F) atoms. SF4 has 4 fluorine atoms, so there are 4 bonding pairs.
Step 3: Determine if there are any lone pairs on the sulfur atom. In SF4, there is 1 lone pair on the sulfur atom.
Step 4: Add the number of bonding pairs and lone pairs together. 4 bonding pairs + 1 lone pair = 5 total pairs.
Step 5: Identify the hybridization based on the total number of pairs. 5 pairs correspond to sp3d hybridization.