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Ch.9 - Molecular Geometry and Bonding Theories
Chapter 9, Problem 13b

(b) How many nonbonding electrons surround the Xe in XeF2?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are crucial in determining how an atom interacts with others. For xenon (Xe), a noble gas, the valence shell contains eight electrons. Understanding the distribution of these electrons helps in predicting bonding and nonbonding electron pairs in molecules.
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Lewis Structures

Lewis structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms and the lone pairs of electrons in a molecule. They help visualize how many electrons are shared or remain unshared (nonbonding) around each atom. Drawing the Lewis structure for XeF2 will clarify the arrangement of electrons around xenon and the fluorine atoms.
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Molecular Geometry

Molecular geometry refers to the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule. In the case of XeF2, the molecular geometry is linear due to the presence of three lone pairs on xenon, which repel the bonding pairs. This geometry is essential for understanding the spatial distribution of nonbonding electrons around the central atom.
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