QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
"What is the electron geometry of PCl^5?
Octahedral
Tetrahedral
Trigonal bipyramidal
Square pyramidal"
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Answer
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Step 1:: Determine the number of electron groups around the central atom (Phosphorus, P) in PCl^5.
In PCl^5, Phosphorus forms five covalent bonds with Chlorine atoms. Each bond can be considered an electron group. Therefore, there are five electron groups around Phosphorus.
Step 2:: Identify the electron geometry based on the number of electron groups.
For a central atom with five electron groups, the electron geometry is trigonal bipyramidal.
Step 3:: Analyze the shape of the molecule based on the electron geometry.
In a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, there are two types of positions: equatorial and axial. The axial positions are along the central axis, while the equatorial positions form a plane perpendicular to the central axis. The lone pair(2$) tend to occupy equatorial positions to minimize repulsion. In PCl^5, all five positions are occupied by bonded atoms, resulting in a distorted trigonal bipyramidal shape.
Final Answer
The electron geometry of PCl^5 is trigonal bipyramidal, and the molecular shape is a distorted trigonal bipyramid.
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