What hybridization do you expect for the atom that is underlined in each of the following species? (a) IO2-

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the central atom in the species, which is iodine (I) in IO_2^-.
2. Determine the number of valence electrons for iodine. Iodine has 7 valence electrons.
3. Consider the charge of the ion. The negative charge (1-) indicates an additional electron, making it 8 valence electrons to distribute.
4. Count the number of atoms bonded to iodine. There are two oxygen atoms bonded to iodine.
5. Use the formula for hybridization: Hybridization = (Number of sigma bonds + Number of lone pairs). Calculate the hybridization based on the number of sigma bonds and lone pairs around iodine.

Key Concepts

Hybridization

Hybridization is a concept in chemistry that describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals. These hybrid orbitals are used to explain the geometry of molecular bonding. The type of hybridization depends on the number of electron pairs around the central atom, which can include both bonding pairs and lone pairs.

Lewis Structures

Lewis structures are diagrams that represent the bonding between atoms in a molecule and the lone pairs of electrons that may exist. They help visualize the arrangement of electrons and can be used to determine the hybridization of atoms. By drawing the Lewis structure for IO2-, one can identify the number of electron domains around the iodine atom, which is crucial for determining its hybridization.

VSEPR Theory

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory is a model used to predict the geometry of individual molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs. According to VSEPR, electron pairs will arrange themselves to minimize repulsion, which directly influences the hybridization of the central atom. Understanding VSEPR helps in predicting the shape of the IO2- ion and thus its hybridization.